The Trip That Keeps Growing: Danube River Christmas Market River Cruise -- Wachau Valley and Melk

9 December The Wachau Valley and Melk

During the morning, our ship sailed through the scenic Wachau Valley, one of the most beautiful sections of the Danube. Today it is a World UNESCO WORLD Heritage site. As we traveled though the rolling hills and fertile soil of the Wachau, we saw the ruins of castles (reminiscent of our cruise on the section of the Rhine River that is dotted with castles) some of the most celebrated vineyards in Austria, famous medieval monasteries, and ruins from Stone Age peoples, the Celts, the Romans, and the Habsburgs. The weather was not very co-operative – it was cold and overcast. During our cruise, one of the Program Directors gave us a running commentary on what we were seeing and some of the history of the river and the Valley. One interesting note is, that like the French language, the German language also classifies words as male or female. The Danube River is female (for Mother Danube) while the Rhine River is male (for Father Rhine).

The first city of any importance that we cruised by was Durnstein. This was where Richard the Lion Hearted was held prisoner after being captured in Vienna. He was saved when his minstrel boy came looking for him. The boy would go to various castles and sing a song that only Richard knew. When he got to Durnstein, he sang the first line of the song and Richard sang the second line. The boy then returned to England to share the news and the English were able to secure his release and return to England. On the side of the Danube is a statue of Richard, his horse, and his minstrel boy. As we sailed by Durnstein, we passed a church with a blue and white steeple that represents the heaven and earth. We also passed by the ruins of the castle where Richard was kept prisoner.

We then sailed by the town of Wellenkirchen (means White Church) where the church was both a place of worship and a fortress to protect the citizens from the Ottoman Empire. There is also one of several ferry crossings at this location. The ferries have no engines and use the river’s current to cross the river. The boat is connected to a cable that runs from one side of the river to the other, and the boat’s captain uses his rudder to keep the boat going across the river. On the other side of the town, near the the dock where the ferry goes is a large stone called the “Nose of the Sleeping Giant. When you see the nose later in this blog, you can see the two holes that form its nostrils.

As we continued cruising through this beautiful section of Austria, we passed by St. Michael’s Church, one of the oldest churches in this valley. What is unique about this church are the statues of 7 hares that adorn its roof.

The last major town in the Valley was Spitz where we could see the ruins of a castle on the hillside.

Durnstein Church and Fortress

Richard and his Minstrel Boy

House among the terraced Vineyards

Church/Fortress in Weillenkirchen

Ferry Port and Nose of the Sleeping Giant

House along the banks of the Danube

St. Michael's Church

Hare's Along the Roof of the Church

Spitz Church and Vineyards

Ruins of Castle in Spitz

Melk Abbey

We stopped in the afternoon in the little town of Melk, best known for the Melk Abbey, a large 900 year old Baroque Benedictine monastery. It had a small Christmas market that you could walk to after our trip to the Abbey, but Bill and I opted to return to the ship by bus after our Abby visit. The weather was miserable – cold with rain/sleet and the walk to the Christmas market and then back to the ship was about a mile.

The Melk Abby is one of the most famous monastic sites. It sits above the town on a rocky promontory overlooking the Danube River. It has been described as a classic example of baroque architecture (almost baroque on steroids or gone mad – it has endless prancing angels and gold twirls). It has 497 rooms and a total of 1365 windows! I am glad I do not have to wash them. And the views from the abbey’s terrace of the Danube River and Wachau Valley are magnificent. As you enter the monastery you pass under the abbot’s balcony with statues of Peter and Paul on either side of the entry portal. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take pictures inside the Abby, so you will have to google it to see the impressive interior, bookshelves, and ceilings in the Abby. I did “borrow” several pictures from the internet to show some of the fabulous features inside the monastery.

From 976 the castle that preceded the abbey was part of the Babenberg dynasty Austria’s first ruling dynasty until the Hapsburgs replaced them in 1273. However, in 1089, Babenberg’s ruler Leopold II donated this castle to the Benedictive monks who then turned it into their abbey. In the 12^th century, the monks founded a school at the abbey, and it soon became famous for its library with its extensive manuscript collection. In addition to collecting books, the abbey was also a center for the production of manuscripts. By the 15^th century, the abbey was the center of the Melk Reform movement which reinvigorated the monastic life in Austria and southern Germany. Inside the abbey are the remains of several members of the Babenberg dynasty.

Although the Abbey sustained damage during the Reformation, attacks by Turkish invaders in 1683 left it in ruins. It was rebuilt between 1702-1738 in the baroque style you see today. In fact, it is amazing that the abbey has survived at all. Notwithstanding the Reformation and Turkish attacks, there was Napoleon’s occupation in the 19^th century, and the Nazi occupation before and during WWII which saw the school and much of the abbey confiscated by the state.

After WWII, the school was returned to the abbey. Currently 23 monks reside at the Abby. Many teach at the school started in 1160, which today continues with 900 secondary pupils making it the largest private Catholic school in Austria.

Today the main hall of the cherub-filled library has over 16,000 volumes. There are also 12 additional library rooms that are not open to the public containing more than 100,000 volumes, some very rare old medieval books. The library rises two floors with a vividly painted ceiling and richly decorated bookshelves. And there are 365 windows – one for each day of the year.

As important as the library is to the abbey, the most important place is the church. The top five Baroque architects of Europe spared no expense with their many windows, commissioned artworks, gold-plated pulpits, marble columns, and beautiful frescoes the size of a football field. Its interior is a kaleidoscope of red, orange and gold. And while the Great Organ of the Abbey was loved for its look, it was hated for its sound. Built in 1731 in a High Baroque style, it had a dark wood center console flanked by two winged pieces and topped with a golden seraphim. To rectify the situation, another organ builder (a former Olympic canoeist) was hired in the 1970s, to build a new state of the art organ inside the original organ housing. The problem was solved.

In addition to the Library and the Church there is also the Marble Hall that is even larger than the Grand Ballroom of the Schonbrunne Palace in Vienna. The ceiling is painted with Greek gods dancing in the blue sky. And the white columns above the door create an optical illusion. As you walk across the room, keeping your eyes fixed on the columns, they appear to change in size. The ceiling is flat but the way it was painted gives it the optical illusion that it is curved like a dome. It was really fascinating to see.

Another amazing feature is the pink marble spiral staircase that connects the church with the library. As you look down, it seems as if the staircase just keeps going deeper and deeper into the abyss, but that is an optical illusion created by a mirror located at the bottom of the staircase.

Melk Library

Melk Marble Room

Melk Spiral Staircase

After touring the Melk Abbey, with its magnificent splendor, including onion-domed towers, gold plated wood carvings and sculptures, marble columns, libraries filled with priceless leather-bound books, and wonderful views of the Danube, one has to wonder how the Benedictine monks, who have committed their lives to a world without sensual pleasures, reconcile their life with their fabulous surroundings.

Leaving the abbey, we returned to our ship for a little rest before dinner. Tonight we sail for our next destination – Linz, our last stop in Austria.