Maximo Viola, José Rizal’s traveling companion in May 1887 through Austria, wrote in his diary:
„During the fluvial trip, the novelty consisted of the interpretation of historical events connected with the famed river …“
During the 11th century, the Kuenring family came to Austria from the Bavarian-Saxon region and were given large territories near Eggenburg and Gobelsburg as an imperial fiefdom.
In 1192/93, the English King, Richard I (Richard the Lionheart), was held prisoner in the Kuenring Castle by order of the Babenberger Leopold V. A share of Richard’s ransom, that fell to the Kuenring family, was used for the expansion and renovation of the castle and the village of Dürnstein in the 13th and 14th centuries.
He was more than just a legend: Richard the Lionheart (1157–1199) was King of England and a heroic crusader, a noble knight with a lion’s courage – and the most famous prisoner of the Middle Ages. And he was the one who both inspired the mythical troubadour Blondel to embark on a hazardous quest for his master and, indirectly, gave rise to the legend of Robin Hood.
The theme trail leading around the ruins of Dürnstein Castle not only lets you experience history: here you can also take in some of the richest natural and cultural panoramas that the Wachau region has to offer, including fascinating rock formations and the region’s most prominent historical sites (such as the town of Dürnstein and Göttweig Abbey), as well as the scenery of the Danube Valley. The trail also provides spots that invite you to relax and let your thoughts wander; these points are marked with symbols for the senses. At these special points you can savour the beauty of the trail with all five senses. (Text: City of Dürnstein).
On the way to the ruins, you have to climb about 200 meters. The round trip is about 2.6 km long and, even at a very slow pace, can be easily completed in 90 minutes, including a tour of the town.
If you cannot arrive by boat, you can also use public transportation:
12:06 Vienna-Heiligenstadt: REX 4 to Krems
1:18 p.m. train WHB (towards Emmersdorf)
1:34 p.m. arrival at Dürnstein/Wachau-Oberloiben
You can also take bus 715 from Krems.
Return:
4:23 p.m. bus 715 (parking lot 2) to Krems
4:35 p.m. bus 715 (parking lot 2) to Melk
We start our tour at 2 p.m. at the boat landing stage. See:
https://www.philippinen.at/historische-donaufahrt-nach-duernstein-am-25-mai-2025/
Further information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blondel_de_Nesle
https://ddsg-blue-danube.at/richard-loewenherz-blondel/
City of Dürnstein: https://www.duernstein.at/en/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_I_of_England