We arrived at the small town (400 souls) of Duernstein just as we sat down for breakfast this morning. Ruins of a castle overlooked the city. Our guides told us to be sure and remember it was a City and not a Village as Duernstein had obtained all the rights of a city, including the right to have an executioner, due to their loyalty to the monarchy during the 30-year war. It was a very quaint city well worth a visit. The city is built along a fairly steep hillside at a narrow point in the Danube River near the beginning of the Wachau Valley. The Wachau Valley is the source of an enormous amount of wine from vineyards all along the 20-mile long, narrow valley. The city was formed to collect tolls on the river and provide a way station for travelers (particularly royalty).

Duernstein’s major claim to fame is that this was the place where Richard the Lionhearted, King of England, was imprisoned and ransomed by England after about three months. Richard was one of several monarchs of Europe on the Third Crusade, but the only one to make it to the Holy City of Jerusalem. He managed to anger the Austrian Duke during the trip through Europe. On the way back to England Richard was shipwrecked near Italy and began making his way across Europe. While in Austria, he was discovered and taken hostage by the Duke. To keep Richard safe and away from public attention, the Duke quartered Richard in Duernstein. Legend says that Richard’s faithful servant searched from castle to castle through Europe singing the first verse of a song that only he and Richard knew. Upon singing the song in Duernstein, Richard heard it and sang back the second verse. The result was messages back to England and the ransom of Richard followed. Further, according to the story of Robin Hood, Richard’s brother John was attempting to have Richard declared dead in England so that John to assume the throne. Just in time, Richard appears, hale and hearty, and foils the plot.

The day began cloudy, but by the time we got to the city, the clouds were gone and a bright sunny (but chilly) day ensued. The weather was actually quite perfect for walking around the town and taking more than a hundred digital pictures. Perhaps a few will survive. The town was well worth our time.