Dürnstein

Coat of arms

Dürnstein

Location within Austria

Coordinates: 48°23′44″N 15°31′13″E / 48.39556°N 15.52028°ECoordinates: 48°23′44″N 15°31′13″E / 48.39556°N 15.52028°E

Country

Government

• Mayor

Johann Schmidl (ÖVP) (ÖVP)

Area

• Total

16.71 km² (6.45 sq mi)

Elevation

209 m (686 ft)

Population (1 January 2016)

• Total

869

• Density

52/km² (130/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

3601

02711

Website

Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area. The municipality consists of the Katastralgemeinden Dürnstein, Oberloiben and Unterloiben.

The town gained its name from the medieval castle Burgruine Dürnstein, which overlooked it. The castle was called "Duerrstein" or "Dürrstein", from the German duerr/dürr, meaning "dry", and Stein, "stone". The castle was dry because it was on a rocky hill, high above the damp conditions of the Danube at the base of the hill, and it was built of stone.

Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192 when, in the castle above the town, King Richard I of England was held captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade. Richard the Lionheart had offended Leopold the Virtuous by casting down his standard from the walls at the Battle of Acre, and the duke suspected that King Richard ordered the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat in Jerusalem. In consequence Pope Celestine III excommunicated Leopold for capturing a fellow crusader. The duke finally gave the custody of the king to Emperor Henry VI, who imprisoned Richard at Trifels Castle.

Dürnstein Castle was almost completely destroyed by the troops of the Swedish Empire under Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson in 1645.

...
Wikipedia