!!!Dürnstein

Duernstein, Lower Austria, town in the district of Krems, alt. 
209 m, pop. 1,002, area 16.81 km%%sup 2/%, one of the most 
beautiful places ("pearl") in the Wachau region and important tourist 
attraction west of Krems, overlooked by fortress ruins. - Duernstein 
tunnel, landing stage, tourism (51,524 overnight stays), wine and 
fruit growing (particularly apricots). - In the 12%%sup th/%  century 
toll station, given town status in the early 14%%sup th/%  century; a 
triangular, crenellated wall encloses the town; originally Gothic 
parish church (former collegiate church) with Augustinian Canons 
monastery founded in 1410 (closed 1788; today incorporated parish of 
the Herzogenburg Monastery), Baroque alterations 1715-1733 by J. 
Munggenast (partly based on drafts by J. Prandtauer and M. 
Steinl), square west tower (finished 1733) with statues and reliefs by 
J. Schmidt, splendid gate leading into the outer courtyard of the 
monastery (probably by Steinl), high-altar painting by C. Haringer, 
paintings in the 2 centre chapels and impressive ceiling fresco (1775) 
in the hall of the monastery by M. J. Schmidt. Former convent of 
the Order of St. Claire (before 1289-1573), today partly restored; of 
the early-Gothic former parish church (destroyed 1803) only the tower 
and foundations have been preserved; late-Gothic and Renaissance 
houses in the town. East of Duernstein in the vineyards, 
Kellerschloessl mansion (probably by J. Prandtauer); fortress ruins on 
rocky outlier above the Danube valley, built in the mid-12%%sup th/%  
century by the  Kuenringern, 1645 destroyed by the Swedes, 
dilapidated. It was here that the English King  Richard I (Lionheart) 
was kept prisoner on his way back from the crusades in 1192/93. 
According to legend he was found by his minstrel Blondel.

!Literature
Oesterr. Staedtebuch, vol. IV, part 1, Die 
Staedte Niederoesterreichs, 1988.


%%language
[Back to the Austrian Version|AEIOU/Dürnstein|class='wikipage austrian']
%%

[{FreezeArticle author='AEIOU' template='Lexikon_1995_englisch'}]
[{ALLOW view All}][{ALLOW comment All}][{ALLOW edit FreezeAdmin}]