Daube magazine 2014

magazine 2014

NATURE, CULTURE AND RIVERSIDE REVERIE

DANUBIAN LIGHTNESS OF BEING DANUBE CYCLING: Reaching for the stars // DANUBE GARDENS: Baroque pleasures //

DANUBE CULTURE: Wave games // DANUBE HIKING: The lightness of being // DANUBE CELEBRITIES: Gerhard Haderer // POINTS OF DEPARTURE: Tips and events

y Austrias’ one and onl e, tur ica car for m museu satirical drawings, cartoon and comic! ww w.k ari ka tur mu

se um .at

HIGHLIGHTEXHIBITIONS 2014 NICOLAS MAHLER 29/11/2013 – 23/3 /201

4

LESEN MACHT SP ASS! 29/11/2013 – 23/3 /201

4

ZEICHNEN FÜR DE N FRIEDEN ab 26/1/2014 ALLES KLAR HERR KOMMISSAR? 6/4 – 16/11/2014 FÜR IMMER DEIX! Dauerpräsentation

As Lower Austria's international exhibition house, the Kunsthalle Krems navigates with its program the field of tension that extends between 19th-century art and classical Modernism, and all the way up to contemporary art, with the main focus on 20th and 21st century art. Austrian and international contemporary art is intensively treated in solo and thematic exhibitions. Central to the exhibition philosophy is a networked synopsis of old and new, opening up exciting perspectives and new paths of access.

AUSSTELLUNGSHIGHLIGHTS 2014 16/03 — 29/06/2014 ZEICHNUNGEN AUS FÜNF JAHRHUNDERTEN DIE SAMMLUNG KLÜSER

13/07 — 09/11/2014 MAN RAY — PIERRE KLOSSOWSKI

KUNSTHALLE KREMS FRANZ-ZELLER-PLATZ 3, 3500 KREMS AN DER DONAU T +43 2732 908010, OFFICE@KUNSTHALLE.AT, WWW.KUNSTHALLE.AT

© WGD Tourismus GmbH/Weissenbrunner, LWmedia-Archiv/Shutterstock, St. Florian’s Abbey/Hans Fronius “The Raising of Lazarus”, WGD Tourismus GmbH/Weissenbrunner

// E njoyable experience with a back story A river is a line that fundamentally marks the regions through which it flows. For millennia the Danube has created and marked boundaries and bonds, cultures and natural regions, riverside paths and waterways, work areas and recreational landscapes. It is a constant witness of history. In 2014 we will mark the 200th anniversary of the Congress of Vienna where the borders of Europe were newly drawn. We will also commemorate the centennial of the outbreak of the World War I and the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain.

The 30th anniversary of the Danube Bike Path, which also falls in 2014, may seem a bit out of place among events of such import for world history. Yet this bike path runs as a matter of course from Passau, Germany, along the Danube in Austria and now beyond to Brati­ slava, Slovakia. Doesn’t that fact have symbolic power in the scope of world history? And once again it is the Danube that marks this development.

This echo of grand history is always apparent. It is there when you spend leisurely days on the banks of this river enjoying the fine wine or culinary delights, when you cycle around or visit lovely gardens. It is there in the traditional and the avant-garde. That is what makes holidays along the Danube in Austria so special.

Fritz Gillinger

CONTENTS Cover photo: Hajszan Wine Estate, Vienna, © WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud

04 ENCOUNTERS Depictions of three Austrian provinces and their enduring love for the Danube 10 DANUBE CYCLING

Beds, bikes and a quality seal 12 DANUBE GARDENS

A Baroque passion for gardens 14 DANUBE CULTURE Traditional, avant-garde and the culinary arts 18 DANUBE HIKING

Hiking with no luggage 20 DANUBE CELEBRITIES

Interview with Gerhard Haderer 22 POINTS OF DEPARTURE

Tips and events

Editor-in-Chief of DANUBE Magazine

DONAU ÖSTERREICH CONTACT DETAILS Upper Austria: contact Donau Oberösterreich WGD Tourismus GmbH, 4040 Linz, Lindengasse 9 T +43 732 7277-800, info@donauradweg.at, www.danube.at

Vienna Tourist Board Tourist Info, 1010 Vienna, Albertinaplatz/Maysedergasse T +43 1 24 555, info@vienna.info, www.vienna.info CREDITS Responsible for content: ARGE Donau Österreich, Lindengasse 9, 4040 Linz, T +43 (0)732 7277-800, www.austria.info/donau | Project management: Petra Riffert | Editorial and production: LWmedia, Ringstrasse 44/1, 3500 Krems, T +43 (0)2732 82000, www.lwmedia.at, LWmedia CEO: Erwin Goldfuss | Editor-in-chief: Fritz Gillinger | Art director: Martin Bauer | Graphic designer: Christian Eckart | Copy: Fritz Gillinger, Bernhard Mayerhofer, Ángeles Hiedler, Anita Ericson, Thomas Rambauske, Barbara Hutter | Photos: LWmedia-Archiv/Shutterstock, zVg, Linz Tourismus/Johann Steininger, Manfred Seidl, WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud, Gewista, Schloss Hof, Bhavanesh Chamdal/Ars Electronica Linz, Schloss Grafenegg/Manfred Klimek, Ulrich Kehrer, Zisterzienserstift Wilhering/Fritz Fröhlich, Exceptional Pictures_WT, Bernie Boess, WGD Tourismus GmbH/Hochhauser, Donau Niederösterreich/Dr. Franz Hauleitner, Christoph Haderer, Linz Tourismus, WGD Tourismus GmbH/Weissenbrunner, Stift St. Florian/Hans Fronius „Erweckung des Lazarus“, WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud, Donau Niederösterreich/Steve Haider, Donau Niederösterreich/Lachlan Blair, WienTourismus/Karl Thomas. Copy deadline: November 2013. No liability accepted for errors or omissions. Content subject to change without notice.

© LWmedia-Archiv/Shutterstock

Lower Austria: contact Donau Niederösterreich 3620 Spitz/Donau, Schlossgasse 3 T +43 2713 30060-60, urlaub@donau.com, www.donau.com

ON THE DANUBE CYCLING UNLIMITED IN THE DANUBE VALLEY CONCERTS DANUBE BAROQUE DANUBE CYCLE PATH DANUBE LEGENDS DANUBE SHIPPING DECELARATION DONAUFESTWOCHEN DONAU IN FLAMMEN DONAUSTEIG TRAIL DOWN-TO-EARTH ENERGETIC ENJOYABLE DESTINATION FERRIES FINE FOOD & BEER 04 // DANUBE magazine 2014

© Linz Tourismus/Johann Steininger

upper austria // ENCOUNTERS

AUSTRIA

Linz and the Danube are inseparably interconnected. That is why the 2014 program of the Upper Austrian capital is called “Danube.Changes, Linz.”

LIFELINE OF EUROPE LINZER KLANGWOLKE LINZER TORTE MUSIC THEATER LINZ PASSION FOR VEGIES SCENIC NATURE SCHLÖGENER SCHLINGE HAIRPIN ST. FLORIAN’S ABBEY STRUDENGAU VIBRANT CULTURAL LIFE www.danube.at

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 05

ON THE DANUBE APRICOTS ASPARAGUS CARNUNTUM CULTURE AND THE ARTS DANUBE BIKE PATH DANUBIAN LIMES ENJOYMENT GARDENS GRAFENEGG MUSIC FESTIVAL HEURIGE KAMP VALLEY KLOSTERNEUBURG KREMS MARCHFELD COUNTRY ESTATES MELK ABBEY MOST ROAD NATIONAL PARK NIBELUNGS PREMIUM ROOMS RIVER CRUISES 06 // DANUBE magazine 2014

© Manfred Seidl

lower austria // ENCOUNTERS

AUSTRIA

The “Gate to the Wachau”: Wellenspiel Café, Restaurant, Lounge, Vinoteque in Krems

RUBIN CARNUNTUM WINE EGON SCHIELE SOLSTICE TRAISEN VALLEY TULLN WACHAU – UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LANDSCAPE WACHAU GOURMET FESTIVAL WACHAU LABERL WAGRAM WELTERBESTEIG WACHAU HIKING TRAIL WINE WINE ROAD WIRTSHAUSKULTUR www.donau.com DANUBE magazine 2014 // 07

ON THE DANUBE ART CULTURE BOATING DANUBE CANAL DANUBE ISLAND FESTIVAL DANUBE SHIPS DANUBE TOWER DONAU-AUEN NATIONAL PARK ENJOYMENT FIAKERS HABSBURGS HEURIGE HOFBURG PALACE HUNDERTWASSER IMPERIAL JUGENDSTIL MUSEUMS MUSEUMSQUARTIER NEW YEAR’S CONCERT PRATER RINGSTRASSE 08 // DANUBE magazine 2014

© WTV/Peter Rigaud

vienna // ENCOUNTERS

Magic moments in Vienna, Albertina

SACHER TORTE SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE SCHÖNBRUNN ZOO ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL VIENNA CONTEMPORARY VIENNA BOY’S CHOIR VIENNA WOODS VIENNESE COFFEEHOUSE VIENNESE CUISINE WATER SPORTS WATERWAY WINE ▪ www.vienna.info

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 09

Danube cyclists can take advantage of bett+bike lodgings all along the Danube in Austria.

THE DANUBE BIKE PATH IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION IN THIS ITS 30TH YEAR. THIS CLASSIC OF CYCLING TOURISM IS NOW THE FIRST CYCLING ROUTE IN AUSTRIA TO OFFER BETT+BIKE ESTABLISHMENTS ALONG ITS ENTIRE LENGTH. THAT MEANS CYCLISTS CAN COUNT ON FINDING BICYCLE-FRIENDLY TOP QUALITY ACCOMMODATIONS. ÁNGELES HIEDLER & FRITZ GILLINGER

10 // DANUBE magazine 2014

The Danube Bike Path is now 30 years old, whereby the word “old” does not apply at all. This product for holiday cyclists has had unmatched success since being “invented” in 1984 and has undergone constant improvements ever since. The latest is that bett+bike accommodations are available to Danube cyclists starting immediately along the entire length of the Danube in Austria. For guests, this name means top quality they can rely on. bett+bike is a seal of quality that lodgings have to earn. All establishments bearing this seal must provide a secure storage place for bicycles, a room for drying wet clothing, first-aid services and a hearty breakfast. Of course, bett+bike hosts also help with small breakdowns and have an inside tip or two for cyclists about side trips in the area.

At www.bettundbike.de/donauradweg-oesterreich you can check out suitable accommodations along the Danube well before you take off on your holidays. There is a link for each

© Donau Niederösterreich/Steve Haider

RIVERSIDE CYCLING AND CITY FLAIR

award-winning // DANUBE CYCLING

INTERVIEW WITH HOLIDAY CYCLIST ANDREA WENZEL FROM GLADBECK, GERMANY

CYCLING HOLIDAYS

We are talking with you here at a bett+bike lodging. Is that an accident or are you staying here intentionally?

Intentionally. I am familiar with the bett+bike system from Germany. ADFC, the big cycling club in German, awards the bett+bike quality seal to establishments that are perfect for holiday cyclists like me.

What is your favorite place along the Danube?

As I said, I have never covered the whole route, but I was especially fascinated by the natural landscapes in Upper Austria and the small wine villages in the Wachau Valley.

What advice would you give to holiday cyclists with regard to planning a trip along the Danube in Austria?

They should make sure they schedule ample time so they can really enjoy the trip. The bett+bike accommodations make it easy as can be to plan overnight stays.

establishment to the homepage und information such as specific services for cyclists, prices, number of rooms or distance from the next train station.

The tourist offerings are so diverse, all Danube cyclists are sure to find something to make them happy, whether they are into action-packed distance tours, laid-back bike outings or relaxing rides on electric-bikes. That applies even to those who did not bring along a bicycle. For instance, there are practical three-gear rental bicycles available throughout Lower Austria around the clock that cost no more than € 8.00 a day. All you have to do is go to one of the many Nextbike stands.

Vienna is every bit as progressive as Upper and Lower Austria when it comes to cycling tourism. In Vienna, all roads lead to the Ringstrasse. Enthusiastic holiday cyclists will find an abundance of cultural treasures along this magnificent boulevard encircling the first district of Vienna and bicycle-friendly accommodations are not far away. Again there is something for every type of cyclists, from small boutique hotels to extravagant designer hotels or famous international hotel chains.

After a cultural sightseeing tour around the Ring, the Vienna Parkring Hotel offers a wonderful view of the route just cycled and the magnificent buildings just passed. The Vienna Hilton Hotel is bicycle-friendly, too, and right across from Wien Mitte – The Mall – Vienna’s brand new shopping center. The ambience of a city hotel is unusual after a cycling tour but naturally part of the cycling experience along the Danube in Austria.

© Gewista

Is this your first time cycling along the Danube?

Andrea Wenzel: Yes. Well, I did do part of the Danube Bike Path years ago but not the whole thing, all the way across Austria, I’d never done that. The unique thing about cycling along the Danube is the combination of nature, culture and enjoyment.

BICYCLE-FRIENDLY VIENNA The city has over 1,200 cycling routes. They are lined with accommodations of all kinds that provide special services for holiday cyclists: lockable bike storage room, repair tools, and information for cyclists. The 9,000 bike parking spaces in park-and-ride facilities also offer the perfect opportunity to give the bike a rest once in a while.

// INFO BOX QUALITY SEAL: bett+bike is a quality mark you can rely on About 50 tested lodgings for cyclists from Passau, Germany to Klosterneuburg, Austria have been awarded the bett+bike seal of quality. They guarantee Danube cyclists a myriad of advantages and amenities plus top quality standards, information and inside tips, free overnight accommodations for children up to the age of 6 plus locked bicycle storage rooms, light snacks for cyclists and inexpensive beverages. There are e-points with recharging stations and at least two rental bikes for Danube cyclists touring the region on electric bikes. Order the bett+bike brochure at the address below www.bettundbike.de/donauradweg-oesterreich AWARD-WINNING: Four stars for the Danube Bike Path You can be sure that Germany’s most renowned cyclists’ organization ADFC is strict and thorough when it tests a cycling route. The Danube Bike Path passed this test with an excellent four-star rating..

ORDER: Danube Bike Path folder The Danube Bike Path folder contains vital information on cycling along the Danube in Austria.

The clearly drawn maps show the exact layout of the bike route in 13 legs from Passau, Germany to Bratislava, Slovakia. The folder also contains information about overnight accommodations, highlights in the towns and cities along the Danube as well as schedules for passenger ship service and information on the recharging stations for e-bikes along the way.

Order the folder and download all legs of the route: info@donauradweg.at | www.donauradweg.at VOLL AUF KURS

MIT E-MOBILITÄT

DONAURADWEG

VON PASSAU BIS BRATISLAVA 2014

www.donauradweg.at | www.donau.com

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 11

Magical garden enchantment at Schönbrunn with a view of the Gloriette

SEVERAL OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF BAROQUE GARDEN LANDSCAPING CAN BE FOUND ALONG THE DANUBE. ANITA ERICSON

St. Florian’s Abbey

The Baroque Age was a sensual and exciting era for those of means. Hidden nooks and crannies were intentionally integrated in the huge gardens as spots for discrete rendezvouses, back then and now. These lush niches in the park at Schönbrunn Palace look as if they randomly occur in nature but were in fact planned by a strict hand in the manner of the times. And there is no shortage of decoration – a statue here, a fountain there, a temple a bit further out. They all stand along symmetrically arranged paths, which all converge on the main axis. At the foot of the mighty façade of Schönbrunn Palace, painted imperial yellow, are lavishly blooming broderie beds that reflect geometric elements from the building yet also form serpentine ornamentation. The lush blossoms are a joy to behold. Viewed from above, the beds look like fine embroidery, hence the term with the same meaning: “broderie”.

SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE: TOTAL WORK OF ART This overall impression of sumptuousness is what makes a Baroque garden so special. It is no accident that UNESCO put Schönbrunn on its World Heritage List noting that the palace and its gardens created a gesamtkunstwerk, a total work of art. The only way to achieve this overall harmony was to let

12 // DANUBE magazine 2014

© Shutterstock, St. Florian‘s Abbey

A BAROQUE PASSION FOR GARDENS

blossoming // DANUBE GARDENS

// INFO BOX (Baroque) Gardens on the Danube

Hof Palace – Baroque Garden Landscaping

architects and landscapers plan the ensemble jointly. The motto back then, in the heyday of Absolutism, was to get nature under control. That meant every tree, hedge and bush was not only planned to fit into a strictly symmetrical arrangement but also relentlessly kept properly trimmed and shaped by legions of gardeners.

© Hof Palace/Lois Lammerhuber, Shutterstock

ST. FLORIAN’S: FOR NOVICES AND VEGETABLES Worldly rulers were not alone in preferring well-groomed nature.

Spiritual leaders did, too. That is why so many monasteries have such enchanting Baroque gardens, St. Florian’s Abbey for example. The grounds are divided into three parts. First is the Prelate’s Garden featuring imposing trees and connected to the abbey through a sala terrena. This hall on the ground floor marks the transition from inside to outside and was a fixed feature of Baroque complexes. The second area was the Novices’ Garden, located in the inner courtyard of the abbey, and the third, the Vegetable Garden. The latter has been changed into a literature garden with roof tiles bearing quotes placed between flowers and bushes. It is an inviting place to linger.

MELK ABBEY AND HOF PALACE: GRAND DESIGNS Umberto Eco’s novel “Name of the Rose” was based on Melk Abbey in medieval times, when the novice Adson had, at most, an herbal garden to stroll through. When the abbey complex was rebuilt in Baroque style in the early 18th century, a park of the same style replaced its modest predecessor. At the first level, your eyes will inevitably be drawn to the Baroque garden pavilion surrounded by rose bushes and decorated inside with exotic frescoes. The second level is dominated by winding paths and a fountain with drinking water. The third level contains the lifeline of the garden: the Baroque water reservoir lined with linden trees 250 years old.

The park at Hof Palace in Marchfeld is virtually unique. Prince Eugene of Savoy had the palace built and Maria Theresa later purchased it. The park consists of a garden laid out in seven terraces, whose proportions, gradations and heights are all geared precisely to the sight lines of the palace. The broderie beds feature pastel hues; a bit further away the colors become bolder. On the fifth terrace hiding places have been incorporated in the hedges.

Everything is just as it was back then. Experts have painstakingly reconstructed the garden plans and landscape gardeners have used them to restore the garden in genuine detail.

Tip: This authentic setting is the venue for the annual Hof Palace Garden Party. For an entire evening those exuberant times are celebrated once again, with culinary delights, games and dancing.

Linz times three Bergschlössl­park is where lovers of splendid Baroque gardens will want to head (300 years old, 3 hectares in size). Harrachstrasse is a nice side trip. Every summer seasonal flower beds are planted there in Baroque style. The geometrically laid out flower beds in Museum­ park are formally reminiscent of the Baroque Age. All three parks are open to the public. www.linz.at Hohenbrunn Castle Hohenbrunn Castle was built as a Baroque idealization of the quadrangular farmsteads so typical of Upper Austria between the rivers Traun and Enns. The garden around the castle has been partially replanted along the old axes. Today the castle houses one of the most significant hunting museums in the German-speaking countries. www.ooemuseumsverbund.at St. Florian’s Abbey Venerable old trees tower imposingly over the Prelate’s Garden whereas the Novices’ Garden is famed for its roses, over 100 varieties of which can be found there. The Literature Garden has flowers, bushes and roof tiles bearing literary quotations. The Prelate’s Garden and the Literature Garden are regularly open to the general public whereas the Novices’ Garden is publicly accessible only on certain dates. www.stift-st-florian.at Garten Tulln Garten Tulln is Europe’s first permanent ecological garden show. Although it has little connection with the Baroque, garden lovers traveling along the Danube will not want to miss it.

The highlights among the more than 50 model gardens include special theme gardens, the Treetop Trail with lookout tower and the water park with pedal boats. www.diegartentulln.at | www.diegaerten.at Hof Palace After several hundred years, the terraced garden of Hof Palace has now been returned to the original size and splendor it enjoyed in the days of Prince Eugene of Savoy. In the Baroque garden of Hof Palace, visitors can stroll over seven terraces, passing broderie beds, pergolas and magnificent fountains. The artistically designed beds enchant visitors in the spring with tulips, daffodils, violas and crowns imperial. www.schlosshof.at Melk Abbey The abbey park shows how natural and spiritual elements have combined over the span of 250 years to create a unique space. The revitalization of the park over the past 15 years has rendered certain structures visible again. Some of them date back to the Baroque Age. At the first level, all eyes are drawn to the Baroque garden pavilion with café. www.stiftmelk.at Augarten The Augarten is the oldest Baroque garden in Vienna and in 1775 became the first imperial garden to be opened to the public. It is still a favorite place for people to spend their leisure time. Scenesters are attracted to the concerts, outdoor movies in the summer, festivals and the popular Bunkerei Restaurant whereas joggers come to run the trails. The park is open to the public. www.augarten.org Belvedere Palace The central middle axis of the symmetrical garden extends between the Lower Belvedere, built as living quarters, and the Upper Belvedere, built for representational purposes. Visitors’ eyes are drawn to the water games cascading between the flower beds. The exposed slope opens up a broad panoramic view of the city. The park is open to the public. www.belvedere.at Schönbrunn Palace The palace park was first opened to the public around 1779 and has been a favorite recreational area ever since. The design of the Baroque gardens has been largely preserved along with the additions from the final decade of Maria Theresa’s life. This design continues to determine the appearance of the palace garden at Schönbrunn. www.schoenbrunn.at

// TIP A Baroque garden at home Unless you happen to have a lot of spare land, we recommend you lay a broderie bed to bring a touch of Baroque to your garden at home.

To do so, you need a plan. The best approach is to visit one of the gardens suggested above and then take the ideas you obtain there and scale them to your own specific situation. Then you divide the individual areas with iron strips to achieve a distinct separation between lawn, decorative elements and borders of flowers.

Area decoration can consist of white marble gravel, black cinder and red crushed brick.

Like the beds, these areas are bordered by boxwood hedges kept trimmed to a height of 15 centimeters. You then plant flowers of your choice in the beds, placing the lower ones along the periphery and the higher ones toward the middle.

Plan the combination in such a way that the colors harmonize with each other and that you have flowers blooming constantly between May and October. In the autumn, you set the bulbs for the spring plants. A not quite complete list of flowers commonly seen in Baroque times: marigolds, stocks, hollyhocks, snapdragons, globe amaranths, ornamental tobacco, carnations, amaranths, garden balsams, chrysanthemums, cleome spinosas, marvels of Peru and widow flowers.

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 13

A WHOLE NEW WAVE THE DANUBE HAS BEEN A CULTURAL LIFELINE FOR EUROPE FOR MORE THAN 2000 YEARS, SERVING TO SEPARATE AND TO CONNECT. TIME-HONORED TRADITIONS HAVE ALWAYS THRIVED ALONG ITS GENTLE BANKS BUT SO TOO HAS MODERNISM AND EVEN THE AVANT-GARDE. BARBARA HUTTER

14 // DANUBE magazine 2014

Clean lines, functional forms and loads of glass – that is the reflection modern Linz casts into the Danube. That is how close these landmarks of bold urban development are to the river. The award-winning ensemble comprising Lentos, the Ars Electronica Center (AEC) and the Brucknerhaus dominate the cityscape on the banks of the Danube. All buildings are bustling with activity inside. The Brucknerhaus, for example, will present seven new music festivals in 2014 in one go. The museums are also showcasing the Danube. They invite visitors on a 3-D flight over the Danube Basin, to the Danube Aquarium and to a special show on culture, nature and economic development in this major city on the Danube. Forum Metall is an outstanding feature of the Danube Park in Linz. What began in 1977 as an exciting exhibition of large metal sculptures by renowned artists on the banks of the Danube in Linz has remained to this day a lively open-air ensemble of modern art that is well worth seeing. A new gem for the thriving culture scene along the Danube is the new Music Theater. With its purist lines of light-colored stone, the theater stages classics like “Ring des Nibelungen” as well as rarities like Ernst Ludwig Leitner’s “Fadinger” or the ballet “Blind Date” by Mei Hong Lin. Then there is the much-anticipated festival in September 2014 when the Linz Cloud of Sound will once again rise over the mighty river and spread all the way to the Voest steel mills.

Speaking of anticipation, cultural and culinary delights form an inseparable duo here too. After all, cultural adventures of

© Bhavanesh Chamdal / Ars Electronica

Project Beehive, Ars Electronica Linz

setting the tone // DANUBE CULTURE

© Grafenegg Castle/Manfred Klimek, Cistercian Abbey of Wilhering/Fritz Fröhlich, Ulrich Kehrer

Left: The enchanting castle landscape with romantic park at Grafenegg is anything but sleepy in its cultural vitality.

Below: Contemporary works by Fritz Fröhlich at the Cistercian Abbey of Wilhering.

whatever sort are bound to make you hungry and thirsty. And Linz has delicious offerings in this regard, too, ranging from traditional to contemporary. Restaurants such as Donau­ wirtinnen in Alt-Urfahr or Georg Friedl’s Mühlvierteln im Salzamt on Obere Donaulände have consciously opted for regional and organic fare whereas Josef on Landstrasse and Café EXX serve “cenuinely Upper Austrian tappas.” Linz is a hotspot of modern cuisine in any case once a year when top international chefs gather for a cook-off at the Culinary Art Festival.

NEW LIFE IN VENERABLE MONASTERIES Of course this culinary diversity continues at several other places along the Danube. One interesting example is Mühldorf Castle in Feldkirchen, a lovely domicile with a history extending back about a thousand years. Everything here radiates dignified elegance and British lifestyle. The cuisine reflects a fresh and modern approach to the culinary arts.

Anyone living along a major river has to be open to new things.

The Baroque magnificence of the monasteries along the Danube is just part of the story. For instance, at the Cistercian Abbey of Wilhering, the historical art treasures and wonderful organ music – by the exceptional organist Balduin Sulzer– are side by side with contemporary art works, e.g. the drawings, collages, paintings and sculptures of the Austrian artist Fritz Fröhlich, who died in 2001. And St. Florian’s Abbey supplements its

extra­ordinary works from the 16th century Danube School with its “Religious Collection” comprising oil paintings, drawings and printed graphic works by the modern Austrian artist Hans Fronius. St. Florian’s will present paintings by Fronius in 2014 at its exhibition on the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I as well.

AVANT-GARDE WINE ARCHITECTURE Imposing Melk Abbey serves as a grand Baroque gateway to the Wachau. Yet innovation and the avant-garde also thrives here among the ancient wineries and apricot orchards, defiant fortress churches and ancient dry-stone terraces where Riesling and Veltliner flourish. There is hardly a Danube region where culture and culinary delicacies are so closely linked as here. And new approaches are being taken to wine: The winemakers’ association Vinea Wachau has created a mobile app called myWachau that allows guests to find out which winemaker they can visit without an appointment, which heurige wine taverns happen to be open and the names of the individual Wachau vineyards. Smart or not, the wine-makers must take care not to forget their roots. Michael Wagner from Vinea Wachau is convinced of that fact. “Tradition continues to play a role despite investments in modern buildings and design. Wine­ makers here in the Wachau have simply gotten a lot of things right.” Modern wine cellars and bright, spacious presentation

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 15

Grafenegg Castle: New perspectives

rooms can be found at such wineries as Alzinger or Rudi Pichler.

There are many exciting stops to choose from along the Danube.

The vinotheque of Domäne Wachau in Dürnstein or Sandgrube 13 of Winzer Krems are among the best known, as is the gourmet restaurant Kloster Und, now run by Charly Teuschl, one of the most unconventional restaurateurs in the city.

Something immediately obvious in Linz becomes apparent only at second glance in Krems: the avant-garde. As the eastern gateway to the Wachau, Krems boasts a rich history yet also presents an open and modern side with the new Danube shipping station and adjoining restaurant, “Wellenspiel” (wave-play).

Its reputation for modernity began years ago when the art mile was installed. This entailed the Kunsthalle Krems, which was skillfully integrated into the former tobacco factory in Stein, and the Caricature Museum, striking for its whimsical façade. Zeitkunst Niederösterreich, for its part, uses the Dominikanerkirche to present provocative and unconventional fare, sometimes in classical guise. The bold new face of the city is there to see for anyone who takes a close look. Of course, side-trips are also allowed. A good choice would be Grafenegg, for instance,

16 // DANUBE magazine 2014

where a structure of concrete steel and glass rises into the sky in the middle of the historical castle park: the Wolkenturm, the open-air stage for the annual musical festival.

The wine country along the Danube – Kamp Valley, Traisen Valley, Wagram – is always good for surprises in any case. Fans of modern architecture are sure to hit pay dirt here. A good example is the Loisium, the now legendary smooth black building of the wine­maker Fred Loimer in Langenlois or Weritas, the wine center for the Wagram region. How does ancient wine culture and modern architecture fit together? “Superbly!” Gerhard Hintermayer says, especially when the structure is so well integrated into the landscape as Weritas is: “The building is balancing on the edge of a loess bank, a sediment that is very important for Wagram.

There is a view from there of the vineyards and the broad Tulln Basin all the way to Mount Ötscher. Modern, open, transparent. In the architecture, in wine glasses, in the cellar. Winemaking practices are also shifting away from classic wooden barrels to steel tanks. Clean and precise work procedures are what are needed, a clear-cut course.

The Danube draws just that in the landscape as it passes wetlands and towns such as Tulln with its new Schiele Museum and Klosterneuburg with the stately monastery of the Augustinian Canons and Museum Essl, Austria’s largest private collection of contemporary art.

VIENNA’S HEART BEATS TO A MODERN RHYTHM Next its waves lap against the banks of Vienna, the capital city.

Donau-City is the name of the new section of Vienna that has risen up between the UN complex and the Danube. Even before the spire of St. Stephen’s Cathedral comes into view, a shiny

© Exceptional Pictures_WT

Here, romantic historicism meets fresh, exciting architecture and music. After evolving for centuries, the architectural landscape of Grafenegg changed yet again in 2007 with the addition of the remarkable Wolkenturm stage (see photo). Set in a natural hollow, the structure forms a sharply angular sculpture of steel and glass reaching up into the tops of the ancient trees. Concert-goers enjoy the romantic ambience looking out from the stands with seating for over 1,700 and from the surrounding hills with lawn seating for over 300. Director Rudolf Buchbinder is famed for his world-class festivals showcasing the Niederösterreichische Tonkünstler as orchestra in residence and leading international orchestras playing as guests at the Grafenegg Festival every summer. www.grafenegg.at

setting the tone // DANUBE CULTURE

© Bernie Boess

black finger can be seen in front of the sophisticated skyline.

It is the first of the two DC Towers by star architect Dominique Perrault, a new and elegant city landmark built according to ecological criteria. On the edge of Prater Park on the other side of the river, prominent architects have built the new campus for the Vienna University of Economics and Business for more than 25,000 students. Zaha Hadid Architects was responsible for the library and learning center. Other buildings were designed

by Atelier Hitoshi Abe, by CRABstudio Architects and by No. MAD Arquitectos.

There are additional new structures in the center of the city, too.

A favorite place to meet is set between elegant late 19th century palaces and Baroque facades – in the MuseumsQuartier between the Leopold Museum and mumok, the Tanzquartier and the Architektur­ zentrum. Besides the charm of Empress Elisabeth and nostalgic heurige taverns, the Viennese heart beats to a modern rhythm, also in the outer districts. For instance, the former Anker bread factor in the 10th district houses ten contemporary art institutions. Built in the early 20th century, this industrial building has seen a host of studios and galleries move into available space around its two huge inner courtyards.

The Danube Park and nearby Danube Tower on the other bank of the Danube mark their 50th anniversaries in 2014 with an exhibition about leisure time and recreational activities in Vienna over the past five decades. The new ultra-modern train station is being built into an international transportation hub complete with a wealth of residential and office space and is slated to be finished in 2015. The Vienna subway is the fastest way to go from point A to point B. But if you take a bit more time in the subway you can discover fascinating art in several stations.

The subway lines U1, U2 and U3 are Vienna’s “art lines”. For over 20 years, art works have been put up in many stations.

International artists such as Ken Lum, Nam June Paik and Anton Lehmden as well as Austrian masters like Gottfried Kumpf have provided works ranging from modern installations to wall murals and sculptures.

MOST LIVABLE CITY IN THE WORLD Vienna has been voted the most livable city in the world several times. Modern architecture and a lively design scene can be thanked for that, along with nightlife, shopping and ample green areas, especially along the Danube. Norbert Kettner from the Vienna Tourist Board is proud of this diversity: “Vienna perfectly combines northern European functionality and efficiency with a southern European zest for life. The only thing the city lacks is the sea – that may be why people appreciate the many sports and recreational offerings on and around the Danube all the more.“ Donau-Auen National Park, for instance. Today, the former hunting grounds of the Habsburgs is a natural paradise four kilometers wide and links two European capitals: Vienna and Bratislava. This Twin City Region will grow even closer in the upcoming years. Margit Neubauer from Donau Tourism is convinced of that: “The intermingling that was so commonplace in the Hapsburg Monarchy is happening again now.

The traditional is becoming the modern.” The border town of Hainburg, once the end of Austria, is now in the heart of the Centrope Region. New attractions such as the Kulturfabrik, a former tobacco factory, invite visitors on a trip through time on the Danube, from Antiquity to the Europe of tomorrow.

DC Towers: Astonishing architecture Dominique Perrault has designed two DC Towers. One has been completed so far and is already a focal point of the Vienna skyline, a modern landmark for the city. It is the second-tallest building in Austria after the 220-meter high Danube Tower and combines architectural esthetics with the most modern ecological construction and functionality. DC I is also one of the first Austrian office buildings to have been erected and equipped to meet the energy and sustainability requirements for a green building set down by the EU Commission. www.dctowers.at

// INFO BOX www.lentos.at | www.aec.at | www.brucknerhaus.at www.landestheater-linz.at | www.klangwolke.at www.diedonauwirtinnen.at | www.muehlvierteln-salzamt.at www.josef.co.at | www.cafe-exx.at | www.hotspots-linz.at www.schlossmuehldorf.at | www.stiftwilhering.at www.stift-st-florian.at www.stiftmelk.at | www.domaene-wachau.at | www.late.at www.kunstmeile-krems.at | www.grafenegg.at | www.weritas.at www.loisium-weinwelt.at | www.egon-schiele.eu www.stift-klosterneuburg.at | www.kirchen-am-fluss.at www.essl.museum/ www.viennadc.at | www.campuswu.at www.loftcity.at | www.hauptbahnhof-wien.at

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 17

Hiking the Donausteig Trail complete with natural and cultural treasures, as here in the Haichenbach ruins with a view of a famous meander in the Danube known as the Schlögener Schlinge.

YOU CANNOT SAY THAT HIKING IS HIKING. AFTER ALL, HIKING WITHOUT A HEAVY PACK LIGHTENS YOUR MOOD AND MAKES LIFE ON THE TRAIL ALL THE MORE ENJOYABLE. THOMAS RAMBAUSKE

MILD TO WILD Engelhartszell, the third leg of the Donausteig Trail on the south bank of the Danube. Passau and Vichtenstein are behind us and we still have a number of legs ahead of us until we hit Grein.

Pleasantly cool morning with the scent of freshly mowed grass wafting through Donaumarkt, which we leave well-fed and rested.

Every hiker loves this early hour, so clear, so perfect. Everything so quiet, so serene. We take off, unburdened, each carrying only a small daily back pack. The rest of our luggage is taken from one lodging to the next. We depart unencumbered und walk along the Danube, until reaching Oberranna. The flow of the river varies

18 // DANUBE magazine 2014

so, ranging from mild to wild. We follow it along the Donausteig, which also varies, from flat to quite steep. It is a fantastic trail for hikers keen on maintaining a striding gait and exploring the area, making it their own. Distance hikers follow the trail from Passau through the upper Danube Valley, then through the Eferding Basin, Linz and the riverside wetland forests around the confluences of the rivers Enns and Traun; finally they pass Machland and the Strudengau and arrive in Grein. This route has everything a hiker’s heart could want: beautiful promenades along the river, forested river banks, romantic ravines and canyons, cultivated farmland but also organically evolved cities and villages. The route is truly superb and has a total length of 450 kilometers counting both banks!

Just after Oberranna we leave the Danube and turn off into the Kösslbach Valley nature preserve. The brook has dug an erosion valley here characterized by steep slopes, pulpit rocks, rock flows and mixed forests in the ravines. We hike on narrow trails, the sounds of the bubbling brook and rustling forest serving as background music, and continue on to the “Four Fourths Outlook Point”. New experiences are guaranteed thanks to

© WGD Tourismus GmbH/Hochhauser

THE JOYS OF HIKING ALONG THE DANUBE

peak experiences // HIKING ALONG THE DANUBE The river leaves its mark. It is a creator and star alike on the hiking trails running along its banks. This view in the Wachau is a case in point: Weissenkirchen with its vineyards in autumnal raiment.

the 165 rest areas along the Donausteig. Break time. Breathe deeply. Look around. It is so scenic here walking along and above the mighty river. Time off. Happy time. Vital time.

Early afternoon. The contours come into focus, the colors brighten, a cool Danube wind wafts around us. Schlögen and the famed Schlögener Schlinge! This 180° meander in the Danube is one of the highlights of the tour. It is nestled so esthetically and beautifully in the Danube Valley. We found nice accommodations and our luggage, which had been transported here from the last host. The 52 Donausteig hosts offer comfortable lodgings. Life along the Danube is one big celebration.

// INFO BOX

© Donau Niederösterreich/Dr. Franz Hauleitner

Hikable Danube

THE MOST SCENIC CORNER OF A SCENIC PARADISE If you keep following the Danube into the Wachau Valley, you meet upon a no less wonderful trail – the Welterbesteig Wachau. The Welterbesteig is more than a distance hiking trail, it is a declaration of love to an artistically composed landscape.

Walking through the Wachau you soon recognize that the winding river valley with all its scenic charm and imposing cultural monuments is a gesamtkunstwerk, a total work of art. The vineyards covered with vines and decorated with castle ruins, the yellow and green striped fields, the romantic forests, the picturesque villages, the idyllic hilltops – what an intoxicating kaleido­ scope of images!

The prologue leads from Krems to Dürnstein. The scent of ancient Danube history wafts through the air in the center of Krems with its many architectural sights. Just after Krems the legendary Kreuzbergstiege takes us into the scenic vineyards of Kreuzberg. We breathe deeply and revel in this feast for the eyes. That is the motto not just here but on every other leg of this wonderful trail. The route continues through the idyllic Steiner vineyards, then up to Pfaffenberg, which marks the beginning of the Wachau wine region. At Kellerberg we leave the vineyards and immerse ourselves once again in a bizarre landscape of rocks and forests. Once again we find one of those magical contrasts so characteristic of the Wachau. Walking close to the river, we take in the tremolo of the waves hitting the bank, the cries of the herons and gulls. Heurige music floats through the air from the wine villages and the rush of the wind from the treetops. It is not just this concert of sounds, though, but the riot of colors as well. From the white of the apricot blossoms in the spring to the lush green of the vineyards in late summer and the carpet of golden leaves in the autumn. The Wachau, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, is indeed a unique composition of sounds and colors, nature and culture, history given a tangible shape. The best way to experience this magical countryside in full is to hike at your leisure from place to place. The 14 legs comprising 180 highly diverse kilometers are the perfect way to explore the most beautiful nooks and crannies of this delightful landscape.

After a good four hours we reach the picturesque town of Dürnstein and have attained yet another goal, that of feeling centered in ourselves.

Week-long hike on Donausteig from Passau to Linz Freed of heavy luggage, you hike from the southern Bavarian Forest through the uplands to Linz in seven days. Fascinating pickings: Danube mermaid Isa at Jochenstein, haunted Haichenbach Castle, the most extensive area of slope and ravine forests in Central Europe, the narrowest point in the Danube Valley in Austria at Burgstall in Kirchberg/D. along with countless art-historical sights.

Package includes: 6 overnight stays in double room with breakfast, luggage transfer, hiking map, boat ride, return on train from Linz to Passau, from € 333/person.

Circular hike in Strudengau | 5 days – 4 nights The five-day circular hike begins in the Danube village of Grein, also known as the “Pearl of the Strudengau”, and takes you to an array of cultural highlights. Enjoy untouched natural countryside with terrific views in the Stillensteinklamm canyon, for instance, or at the Predigtstuhl lookout point. And then back to Grein, your point of departure.

Package includes: 4 overnight stays in double room with breakfast, 1 Donausteig hiking book, Donausteig hiking map and luggage transfer, from € 280/person.

Packages bookable at: www.donaureisen.at | www.touristik.at | www.salzkammergut.co.at For climbing enthusiasts & wine lovers | 3 days – 2 nights Here you proceed long the Welterbesteig Wachau panorama hiking trail through some of the most scenic vineyards in the Wachau. Jauerling circular hike to the roof of the Danube (Jauerling). Hans Pichler Nature Park Center with Danube terrace and a breathtaking view.

Package includes: 2 overnight stays with breakfast in selected accommodations, 2 sack lunches with regional products, prepared by host, 2 luggage transfers by hotels, hiking package with map, route description and info on Wachau, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, price p. p. in double room from € 135/single room surcharge of € 16 p. p.

Bookable from March to November 2014 for groups of 2 or more Hike with glorious vistas | 5 days – 4 nights Historical towns, vineyards and glorious vistas are the highlights of this hike taking you from Dürnstein to Weissenkirchen and beyond to Spitz, Rossatzbach and then back to Dürnstein. Modern and exclusive 4-star hotels in the region are available for your overnight stays in the Wachau, a valley on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Package includes: 4 overnight stays with breakfast in selected accommodations, daily sack lunches with regional products, luggage transferred by hotel, hiking package with map, route description and info on Wachau, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, price per person in double room with overnight stay/breakfast as low as € 340/with full board as low as € 477 Bookable from April to October 2014 for groups of 2 or more.

Contact for booking: www.wachau.at | urlaub@donau.com | +43 2713 30060-0 One-day Vienna wine hike each year at the end of September Vienna’s unique vineyards can be explored every year in the fall on a one-day wine hike. There are many opportunities to sample the fine vintages and enjoy wonderful views of the city. Route 1 takes you from Neustift am Walde to Nussdorf; route 2 goes from Strebersdorf to Stammersdorf with its many heurige taverns. www.wien.info/de/einkaufen-essen-trinken/wiener-wein-heurige/weinwanderweg European Peace Walk A new walking route 570 kilometers long through five European countries opens officially on 28 July 2014 at the square in front of the Vienna City Hall. The Peace Route begins in the triangle Brno–Vienna–Bratislava, proceeds to Sopron, Maribor and Slovenj Gradec and then on to Trieste on the Italian Mediterranean. www.peacewalk.eu Best trails in Austria Discover the scenic beauty of Austria and treat yourself to unforgettable hiking experiences. The four trails Donausteig, Welterbesteig Wachau, Lechweg and Alpannonia offer nature enthusiasts a wellspring of information for unique hiking experiences, optimum trail management and excellent service from a diverse range of eating and lodging establishments.

To obtain more information and order free folders, visit www.best-trails.at

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 19

A photo montage but one with a message: Gerhard Haderer, one of the most successful caricaturists in German speaking Europe, with the Danube and Rannariedl Fortress behind him.

His father was born here on the Danube and Gerhard went on rides with his father in a zille, the flat-bottomed boats common to this region.

GERHARD HADERER HE LIVES “SOMEWHERE IN UPPER AUSTRIA AND HIS DRAWINGS TELL COLORFUL JOKES.” GERHARD HADERER VIEWS THE DANUBE AS A WONDER OF THE WORLD AND CONSIDERS A BOAT TRIP WITH CONNY FROBOESS FROM PASSAU TO THE BLACK SEA A DREAM WITHIN REACH.

Are there special events you experienced as a child or adult that you associate with the Danube in Austria?

Gerhard Haderer As a child if I was a good boy I was allow­ ed to go with my grandma to the movies now and again. They showed movies starring Waltraut Haas, Peter Weck and little Conny Froboess: “Mariandl” and “Mariandl’s Return.” They were set in the enchanting Wachau Valley, with the weather always perfect and the characters always in their Sunday best, singing heart-wrenching songs. I think I fell for Conny hook, line and sinker back then, as a ten-year-old. Sigh.

INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY FRITZ GILLINGER

Do you have a favorite place along the Danube?

Gerhard Haderer Anyone who defines caricature so super­ ficially probably looks like someone I could caricature as is without adding anything. On a more serious note, Reinhard Tramontana had this to say on the subject: Caricature is the art of distorting people or circumstances to the point where they become recognizable. I like that definition better.

You caricature people and their character, their idiosyncrasies. Is the Danube something a person could caricature?

Gerhard Haderer Not such an easy task. But if you depicted the Danube as a harmless little sky-blue river the way it is extolled in thousands of waltzes and songs, you might elicit a smirk or two from local people who know better.

What associations come to mind when you think about the Danube?

Gerhard Haderer First I think of the Wachau landscape, a wonder of the world. And about how the river was always an economic lifeline in its history and still is today. As a Linzer I also think about the Danube being the border between the American and Russian zones of occupation in Austria after World War II. In 1955, when the occupation ended, the then governor danced a Blue Danube waltz with the wife of the mayor of Linz on the bridge out of sheer joy. It was quite a scene.

20 // DANUBE magazine 2014

Gerhard Haderer No one place in particular. But there are countless spots between Passau and Vienna where it is wonderful to sit, dwell on your thoughts and watch the mighty river flow by. My father, who was born in Oberranna, a village right on the Danube, was also a Danube fisherman. Today, I still vividly remember our rides in his flat-bottomed zille boat between Engelhartszell and Wesenufer.

Do you like dancing the Blue Danube waltz?

Gerhard Haderer Not at all. But if I were to ever dance, something I can actually rule out doing, then it might be to that waltz.

Why not?

Are there moments you yearn for the Danube?

Gerhard Haderer I had many such moments this summer when temperatures reached the nearly tropical level of 40°C. I was able to curb that longing by taking several dips a day in Attersee.

Many people dream of taking a voyage on the Danube, say from Passau to the Black Sea. Are there any Danube trips you have always dreamt about? Or have you already made those dreams come true?

Gerhard Haderer A trip like that has never really been a dream of mine. It was for Hubert von Goisern, though. He ended up sailing up and down the river with his musicians singing and playing wherever he went. That was great! I would have liked to have been there, pen and paper in hand. I am sure I would have been inspired to draw dozens of merry caricatures. Or as I implied above, to take a wonderful cruise from Passau to the Black Sea with Conny Froboess …

© Christoph Haderer

In defining the verb “caricature” the DUDEN online dictionary used words such as to “distort, falsify, botch up, pervert, disfigure, maim”, among others. Does that make you want to caricature the dictionary makers?

interview // DANUBE CELEBRITIES

// INFO BOX Witz und Weisheit: Haderer, Turrini und Theresa For this book on wit and wisdom, Gerhard Haderer created lovingly rendered drawings to illustrate the fascinating conversations the Austrian writer Peter Turrini had with three-year-old Theresa.

The result is a book full of wisdom and wit of a kind only this trio could have achieved.

Peter Turrini, Gerhard Haderer “Manchmal ist ein Fasan eine Ente�

Published by Jungbrunnen-Verlag

GERHARD HADERER Born in 1951, lives somewhere in Upper Austria and draws colorful jokes.

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 21

© WGD Tourismus GmbH/Weissenbrunner

// Rad Total Thousands of cyclists are expected to come to Rad Total (Cycling Unlimited). All Danube municipalities between Passau and Schlögen are taking part with a lineup of great activities. The Danube is wonderful for hiking in the autumn and has associated events such as Legend Hike. www.radtotal.at | 4 May 2014 www.donausteig.com

// Art and culture of various genres at special venues The cultural network fussfrei (“with leg room”) is an inspiration for regional cultural activities. Rare operas are staged at the donauFESTWOCHEN at Greinburg Castle. The Clam Fortress, for its part, is known for its open-air concerts and St. Florian’s Abbey puts on abbey concerts featuring its own boys’ choir. Donau in Flammen (“Danube in flames”) features Bengal light and fireworks on the shore synchronized with thematically matching music and ignited under the banner of Danube legends.

01 02

www.fussfrei.at | www.clamconcerts.at | www.stift-st-florian.at www.donauinflammen.com | 7 June, 20 June, 15 August 2014 www.donau-festwochen.at | 25 July to 15 August 2014

© Linz Tourismus

01 03

04

05 06

// Danube.changes, Linz

© Brandner Schiffahrt, ARGE Donau

A city outing to Linz can change your perspective on things.

The city invites you to take a welcome break on the banks of the Danube enjoying the views far into the distance. Immerse yourself in the diverse cultural life on the banks of the Danube.

In 2014, Linz takes a special look at Europe’s second largest river: the travel route taken by emperors and kings, cyclists and hikers. A region of creativity for culture as well as the culinary arts. So tempting: a piece of Linzer torte on the banks of the Danube. New cultural formats such as the special theme festivals at the Brucknerhaus or the many festivals in the historical center of Linz provide welcome opportunities for a stopover or a weekend in Linz. www.linztourismus.at

Being mobile in Upper Austria onauschiffahrt Wurm+Köck 01 D

02 03 04 05 06

Scheduled cruises Passau–Linz–Vienna Being mobile in Lower Austria www.donauschiffahrt.de Schifffahrt Donau Touristik randner Schiffahrt 07 B www.donaureisen.at (passenger ships) P assau Main Train Station Scheduled service Krems–Melk www.oebb.at www.brandner.at L inz Airport achau Linien 08 W www.flughafen-linz.at www.n-mobil.at L inz Main Train Station rems Train Station 09 K www.oebb.at www.oebb.at D onauuferbahn Linz–Grein achau Bahn (train line) 10 W (rail line along Danube) www.noevog.at www.oebb.at adexpress Donau 11 R D onauschiffahrt Ardagger (from Vienna to Passau (passenger ships) by train and bicycle) www.donauschiffahrt-ardagger.at www.erlebnisbahn.oebb.at

Being mobile in Vienna anube Canal, 12 D

13 14 15 16

Twin City Liner station www.twincityliner.com P ort of Vienna/Handelskai (DDSG) Scheduled service Vienna–Wachau www.ddsg-blue-danube.at V ienna International Airport www.viennaairport.com V ienna Main Train Station www.hauptbahnhof-wien.at W est Train Station www.bahnhofcitywienwest.at

St

// Culture and landscape

© Donau Niederösterreich/Lachlan Blair

A whole year of enticing cultural and other events in the Wachau, a region on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They range from “Osterreigen Wachau” at Easter time in April with a great lineup of cultural events and lots of delicacies to the world famous Melk Abbey and Grafenegg Music Festival or the Schallaburg. The latter is the venue in 2014 for the exhibition “Glory & Gloom: Living with the Great War 1914–1918”. One hundred years after the outbreak of World War I, this exhibition opens up brand new perspectives on what was called the “primal catastrophe of the 20th century”. The show focuses on personal stories, spotlighting the consequences and effects of the “Great War” on the population. www.osterreigen.at | April 2014 www.kultur-melk.at | Year-round www.grafenegg.at | Year-round www.schallaburg.at | 29 March to 9 November 2014

// VieVinum

08 ge

09

www.vievinum.at

ndscap e List la

11 15

ch

07

a u,

UNES

CO H

er i t a

10

International wine festival in the Hofburg Palace in Vienna from 14 through 16 June 2014

Wa

12

e n gau

// Art of gardening meets magic of fire These gardens are your guarantee of a unique experience. Garten Tulln is an impressive walkable picture book of the art of organic gardening with more than 50 special theme gardens on 10 hectares of land.

An attraction in a class all its own: Danube cruises at the solstice in the Wachau and in Nibelungengau. www.diegartentulln.at | 12 April through 5 October 2014 www.sonnenwende.at | 14 June 2014 Nibelungengau region 21 June 2014 Wachau region

// First European Peace Walk

A 570-kilometer-long hiking route through five European countries. The Peace Route begins in the triangle Brno–Vienna–Bratislava, proceeds to Sopron, Maribor and Slovenj Gradec and then goes on to Trieste on the Italian Mediterranean.

Official opening: 29 July 2014 with the opening on the square in front of the Vienna City Hall.

www.peacewalk.eu

// Danube Island Festival Europe’s biggest open-air event is being held for the 31st time. The Danube Island Festival in Vienna has top stars in store for you again in 2014 with music of all genres and an action-packed lineup of entertainment. www.donauinselfest.at | 27–29 June 2014

// Discovering Carnuntum It is as if time had simply stood still for 1,700 years.

Carnuntum is an imperial city reborn. An entire section of an Ancient Roman city has now been restored in its historical context. Well-worth a visit: Carnuntum Experience, an event series about wines that run the whole gamut. Not far from the Ancient Roman city: Hof Palace, where you can gain insights into the lives of Maria Theresa and Prince Eugene of Savoy, and Donau-Auen National Park, the only river landscape between the two major international cities of Vienna and Bratislava. www.carnuntum-experience.at | August through September 2014 www.schlosshof.at | www.donauauen.at

DANUBE magazine 2014 // 23

© WienTourismus/Karl Thomas

16 13 14

© Die Garten Tulln

t ru d

points of departure // DANUBE LIFE

THE DANUBE LINZ LINZ ON THE BEAUTIFUL, COLOURFUL DANUBE – IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A RICHLY VARIED CULTURAL EXPERIENCE ON THE BANKS OF THE DANUBE! STORIES FROM THE PAST AND THE FUTURE GIVE LINZ 2014 A FRESH VIEW OF EUROPE’S SECONDLONGEST RIVER, THE ROUTE OF EMPERORS AND KINGS, OF CYCLISTS AND WALKERS – THE DANUBE! WWW.LINZTOURISMUS.AT I WWW.LINZ2014.AT I WWW.LINZ.AT/TOURISMUS

from 3 days

– , 9 9 € rson per pe room ble in dou

FESTIVALS • LinzFest 7–9 June 2014 • International Pflasterspektakel street art festival 17–19 July 2014 • Ars Electronica Festival 4–8 Sept 2014 • Festival piano: 23.–26. Jän. 2014 • Festival worldmusic: 20.–23. Feb. 2014 • Festival old music: 06.–09. März 2014 • Festival Gitarre Flaming Strings: 14.–15. März 2014 • Festival Passion: 14.–17. April 2014 • Springfestival: 05.–18. Mai 2014

LINZ TOURISMUS

Tourist Information Linz Tel. +43 732 7070 2009 tourist.info@linz.at

THEATRES AND CONCERTS • Danube on Fire 20 June + 15 August 2014 • Klangwolken visualised 6 Sept, classical 14 Sept 2014 • Bruckner Festival 14 Sept–05 Oct 2014 • Musiktheater: Wagner’s Ring des Nibelungen – opera cycle 2013–2015 EXHIBITIONS • Lentos Kunstmuseum: PURE WATER: the most precious resource 03. Okt. 2014–11. Jan. 2015 • Nordico Stadtmuseum Linz: Linz/Danube. Riverstory 06. Jun. –19. Okt. 2014 • Schlossmuseum: Qumran-Rollen Mär.–Sep. 2014