Krems an der Donau – sights and tips for enjoyment

Krems an der Donau – Sights and tips for connoisseurs

A Wachau holiday usually begins in Krems. The city of Krems an der Donau in Austria is the starting point for the Wachau, the most beautiful stretch of river on the Danube. As wine lovers, we have often been to the region. This time, however, we took the time to get to know the city better. AustriaGuide Christine Emberger showed us the old town of Krems on a city tour. The Kremserin inspired us with her knowledge of the history of the city. It was there that I found out for the first time that Krems actually consists of two places: Stein and the place to which the town duo owes its name. On our tour we visited the old town with its monasteries and churches. Stein is more the modern part of the city. There you will find the university, the art mile and the caricature museum. This time, however, we will introduce you to the old town of Krems an der Donau.

 

 

Krems Austria

Krems is a city on the Danube in Austria. The city has about 25.000 inhabitants. Some even call it the “capital of the Wachau”. It is the fifth largest city in Lower Austria and thus the largest in the Wachau on the Danube.

 

 

Old town Krems sights

On this tour through the city on the Danube in Austria you will get to know the sights of Krems.

The Steiner Gate in Krems in the Wachau

The Steiner Tor is located near the Stadtpark in the west of Krems. It is the last of what used to be four city gates. The city gate from the 15th century was renovated in the 18th century in the Baroque style. At the time of its construction, the Danube almost reached the city. At that time, the river threatened the city again and again. A marble plaque inside the city gate commemorates one of the events. In 1573, an ice jam in the Danube threatened the city, which towered almost two meters. Since that time, the floodplain landscape between Stein and Krems has been drained by building dams. These protect the city to this day.

If you go through the gate you get to the old town of Krems. Obere Landstraße is the city's pedestrian zone. This is lined with shops, restaurants and ice cream parlors. However, we turn into Schmidgasse. This brings us to the Körnermarkt.

 

The Körnermarkt in Krems an der Donau

This is one of the market squares of Krems an der Donau. The city has several marketplaces. This fact is thanks to the Danube. Krems was built at a point where the Danube widens. This made the site an attractive place for commerce. From the beginning, the place therefore developed into a trading center. He has remained so to this day.

 

The Dominican Church and the museumkrems

At the northeast end of the square, the Dominican Church towers over the surrounding houses. It was located outside the city walls together with the Dominican monastery from the 13th century and was repeatedly at the mercy of attackers. Today the Kunsthalle Krems uses the church for exhibitions. The museumkrems is housed in the monastery rooms. A visit is worthwhile if you are interested in the history of the wine town. The exhibition shows how people once lived in the city on the Danube.

The Dominikanerplatz also served as a marketplace throughout the city's history. This is where the local winegrowers deliver their products. They came across the Danube. Others packed their produce on carts or in kraxes and dragged them to the market stalls in this square. Such a market usually lasted several days, as traders could not make the trip to and from the market in one day. The market has always been a special event in the city's everyday life.

If you follow Dominikanerplatz in the direction of Schlüsselamtsgasse, you will pass an inner courtyard behind the Dominikanerkirche. A tower rises up between the trees, which at first seems inconspicuous. His story is interesting though. Because it is part of the former monastery courtyard of the Dominicans. Such facilities were also called reading yards, because this is where the monks packed the products that they grew on their vineyards and orchards. Coopers worked in a monastery courtyard, making barrels for transporting wine. Rope makers twisted the ropes that were used to pack the monastery's products. There were several of these monastery courtyards along the Danube and also in Krems. Each order had its own court that prepared the monastic products for trade.

museumkrems

Kornmarkt 14
3500 Krems

Information, inquiries, reservations:
Tel .: +43 (0) 2732 801-571

Opening hours

March 26 to November 1, 2022 daily from 10.00 a.m. to 18.00 p.m., last admission: 17.00 p.m

entrance fees

Free entry up to 19 years adults € 7,50 / person
reduced € 6,00 / person
Groups of 15 or more by prior arrangement € 6,00 / person
Entry is free with the Lower Austria Card as often as you like

 

The Wachau Cathedral in Krems an der Donau

We continue our tour and follow the Schlüsselamtsgasse to the Pfarrplatz. This is also used today as a marketplace. The locals also popularly call the parish church of St. Veit the “Wachau Cathedral”. No wonder! Artists like Martin Johann Schmidt were active in it. The church owes the ceiling painting to him. The painter is also known under the name "Kremser Schmidt". However, the altar painting does not come from him, but from his namesake Johann Georg Schmidt. It shows the martyrdom of St. Vit.

 

 

Behind the town parish church along Margarethenstraße there are buildings from the late Middle Ages, whose Renaissance facades go back to merchants from Krems. They had their houses decorated with everyday scenes from the Renaissance.

 

The Piarist Church towers over Krems an der Donau

Even more striking, however, is the Piarist Church, which sits enthroned on the hill behind the parish church. It was part of the Piarist monastery that now serves as a school building. When I asked why so many monastic orders settled in Krems, Christine Emberger replied: “The place also played a role as a trading center for the monks. They shipped the produce from their vineyards and fruit trees from Krems.” The church can be reached via the steep Piarist steps. It is worth seeing mainly because of its high altar. The altarpiece also comes from the hands of the "Kremser Schmidt". As well as some pictures in the side altars.

 

The Gozzoburg in the Austrian town on the Danube

You can go further through Margarethengasse to Hoher Markt. This is another marketplace in Krems that shows the importance of the city as a place of commerce. There is the Gozzoburg. This is the official palace and residence of the Krems city judge Gozzo from the 13th century. This building contains worth seeing wall paintings in the residential wing. You can see this on a tour of the building.

 

 

Gozzoburg

High Market 11
3500 Krems

Information, inquiries, reservations:
Tel .: +43 (0) 2732 801-571

Guided Tours

Visiting the Gozzoburg is only possible as part of a guided tour (up to and including November 1st every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday at 14.00 p.m.)

entrance fees

Admission incl. approx. 50-minute guided tour:
Adults: € 6,00/person
Reduced: € 5,00/person
Children and young people up to 19: € ​​3,00/person

One-time free entry with the Lower Austria Card

We end our tour of Krems with the way back on the Obere Landstraße back to the Steiner Tor.

 

Krems on the Danube restaurants

Hofbräu am Steinertor

The Hofbräu am Steinertor restaurant is located directly at the Steiner Tor. When the weather is nice, you can enjoy specialties from Bavaria and Austria in the beer garden or in the restaurant. In addition, the Hofbräu offers beer from Munich or juices and wines from the Wachau.

Hofbräu am Steinertor
South Tyrolean Square 2
3500 Krems on the Danube

Wave game restaurant

With a view of the Danube and the fleet of excursion boats, you can eat in the Wellenspiel restaurant. This restaurant is located next to the pier for the excursion boats. In addition to burgers and steaks, Austrian specialties and vegan / vegetarian dishes are served here.

Wave game restaurant
World Heritage Site 1
3500 Krems

Hotels in Krems, the city on the Danube in Austria

We have tested these accommodations ourselves and can recommend them:

arte Hotel Krems an der Donau

This trendy hotel is located in the art district of Krems, opposite the Danube University Krems campus.

art Hotel Krems
dr Karl-Dorrek-Strasse 23
3500 Krems on the Danube
Austria

You can do the arte Hotel Krems book here*.

The guest house in Göttweig Abbey

The Benedictine is about 10 km outside of Krems Gottweig Abbey visible from afar on a mountain above Furth near Göttweig. The monastery offers a guest house with modern guest rooms, from which a magnificent view of the wine region and the Danube meadows opens up. Those who want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city will feel at home here.

Gottweig Abbey
Gottweig Abbey 1
3511 Furth near Gottweig
Austria

You can book a room in the guest house in the Benedictine monastery in Göttweig book here*.

 

 

 

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Travel Arrangements:

Arrival by plane, public transport or car

Arrival by plane, bus or train*. The nearest airport is Vienna Schwechat. From there you can travel to Krems by rental car or public transport. Train stations are in Krems and Melk.

Train:

from mid-March to the end of September the Wachau railway

Car Rentals:

Cheap rental cars - book here! *

Accommodation in Krems an der Donau Austria :

Book yours here Accommodation in Krems*
Stay in wineries in the Wachauwhere you can experience wine

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Krems residents

The city of Krems an der Donau has around 24.000 inhabitants.

 

Do you already know:

• Durnstein in the Wachau
• Romance by the Sankt Lorenz stream
• Baroque water games in Kassel
• 5 wine locations for a wine weekend on the Main
• Beautiful cities on the Rhine
• Where can you eat well in Salzburg restaurants?
• Cool backpacks for city trips

 

Source: On-site research. We thank Klösterreich as well as Stadtmarketing Krems for the invitation to this trip.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs, TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs, TravelWorldOnline and caption