Our Series on Unique Austrian Places
Austrian Explorer
Burgruine Dürnstein
It's #WahrzeichenWednesday again and today we're completing the first round of the series with a trip to #Dürnstein in Austria's ninth federal state of Lower Austria #Niederösterreich. Located in the #Wachau, a stretch of Danube river valley designated by #UNESCO as a World Cultural Landscape, Dürnstein is known for its wine #Weinberge, the iconic, blue Dürnstein Abbey, and the ruins of the Dürnstein castle that overlooks the city below.
In fact, the city derives its name from the castle, which was named after the "dry stone" (German dürr + Stein) on which it was built around 1150. Dürnstein remains perhaps most famous for what happened about 42 years later in 1192 when King Richard of England, the Lionheart, was captured by Duke Leopold V of Austria on Richard's return from the Third Crusade. Duke Leopold V held King Richard for four months in Dürnstein castle, for which Leopold V was later excommunicated by Pope Celestine III for imprisoning a fellow crusader.
Schloss Esterhazy
This week's #WahrzeichenWednesday features Schloss Esterhazy @esterhazy.at in Eisenstadt, the capital of #Burgenland, Austria's easternmost province. Built in the 13th century, the palace became a residence of the noble and influential Esterhazy family in the 17th century. The palace is known in particular for the #Haydnsaal, a world-class concert hall, used by Joseph Haydn himself while he served as the #Esterhazy family's Kapellmeister in the 18th century (see photo 3). One of the largest palaces in Austria today, Schloss Esterhazy and its grounds are a local #Wahrzeichen. See photos 2 and 7 for paintings of the palace and its grounds in the early 19th century as well as photo 5 for a stamp from 1962, documenting Schloss Esterhazy's enduring place in Austrian memory culture.
Schloss Orth
It's #WahrzeichenWednesday and this week we're headed to Schloss Orth in Upper Austria #Oberösterreich. The castle is renowned in part due to the co-produced Austrian-German television series "Schlosshotel Orth" (1996-2004) about a fictional hotel of the same name. While the actual Schloss Orth did serve as the backdrop for the television show, it was never actually a hotel. Built in the tenth century on Traunsee lake in Gmunden, the castle was rebuilt in its current form after a fire in 1626. See photo 3 for a sketch from 1656 by Matthäus Merian. Besides being a local #Wahrzeichen, Schloss Orth, or Gmunden and Traunsee more generally, serves as a gateway the Salzkammergut region, a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape with gorgeous Alpine lakes, imposing mountains, and excellent hiking.