Burg Dürnstein

Above the rooftops of Dürnstein stand the ruins of the former Kuenring castle. It became famous through King Richard the Lionheart of England, held captive here in 1192–93 – legend says his faithful minstrel Blondel found him by singing their song.

A steep but short climb leads to the ruin and rewards you with one of the finest views in the Wachau: over Dürnstein, the vineyard terraces and the bend of the Danube. A highlight of any Wachau hike.

The Burgruine Dürnstein stands on a narrow ridge above the Olsa valley in the Murau district of Styria. Built in the 12th century as a frontier fortress, it once guarded the shifting border between Styria and Carinthia. The steep slopes drop almost a hundred metres to the valley floor, giving the ruin a dramatic setting. The castle belonged first to the Dürnsteiner family, then passed to the Wildoners, and later to the Styrian rulers. A 16th-century water pipe served the fortress, but by the early 17th century it was abandoned. Austrian troops used its walls in 1809 when French forces approached. Visitors reach the site along a walled path that passes a round tower and a 14th-century zwinger. A rebuilt gate leads into a vaulted entrance hall, and the east wing shows original medieval masonry beneath later repairs. The west wing clings to the cliff edge, its walls pierced by tall arrow slits. The spacious courtyard is enclosed by a ring wall with narrow loopholes, offering views down the narrowing valley.