The Danube
Vienna - Esztergom - Budapest - Bratislava - Krems - Melk - Wachau - Engelhartszell - Vienna
with the A-ROSA DONNA on the Danube
In the Upper Belvedere, where Prince Eugene – the liberator of Vienna against the Turks – once lived, you can find the world’s largest collection of Gustav Klimt, as well as Austrian Art by Waldmüller, Schwind, Schiele, Kokoschka and others from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Since its expansion, the Albertina has turned into a major attraction. The collection, which goes back to Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, includes approximately 50,000 drawings and 1 million master prints from the late Gothic period to the present. Dürer‘s "Praying Hands" and the "Young Hare" belong to the collection, but are not always on display.
The impressive, sun-yellow baroque palace is one of Europe’s most beautiful palaces. In the imperial summer residence 40 of 1,441 magnificent rooms can be visited. Other attractions include the baroque garden with the Gloriette as a lookout, the Palm House and the oldest zoo in the world.
The Prater is Vienna‘s most popular fun fair. Enjoy a great view over Vienna from the giant Ferris wheel, go on an exciting roller coaster ride or relax in an expansive area of parks.
No other building symbolizes the Habsburg’s power as clearly as the Vienna Hofburg. Popular among Vienna’s visitors are the originally Imperial Apartments with the original furnishings, the Sisi Museum and the Imperial Silver Collection with its extensive assemblage of imperial objects. The Imperial Palace also houses the National Library, the Spanish Riding School and the Imperial Chapel.
The construction of the second Romanesque church began in the 13th century. Later, Duke Rudolf IV of Habsburg ordered the complete restructuring of the church in Gothic style. The south tower, which was completed in 1433, is with its 137 m Austria’s tallest church tower
The view from the summit of the castle of Esztergom will surely amaze you. In front of you, the largest neoclassical basilica in Hungary - 118 metres long and 48 metres wide - awaits. Its huge green dome towers far over the city and simply takes your breath away. Even before you have reached the Basilica, you will hear all of the information about the Basilica and Esztergom. In addition to a small historical chapel, you can also visit the main nave of the Basilica with its gigantic altar. The altar piece is the largest painting in the world, painted on a single canvas.
The impressive neo-classical cathedral was built from 1867 to 1906. Its dome – with a height of 96 m – collapsed during the construction in 1868 and destroyed the half-finished building. The dome also offers a stunning view. An elevator takes you up, followed by a staircase. To the right of the main entrance, you can go down to the treasuries.
The dimensions of the parliament building are enormous: It is 268 m long, has a 96 m high dome, 27 gates, 29 staircases and almost 700 rooms. The construction took 18 years (from 1884 until 1902). With this building, the architect Imre Steindl (1839–1902) created a symbol of eclecticism.
The Castle District with the Buda Castle is about 1.5 km long. The Castle – or Royal Palace – is the monumental landmark of the city and was destroyed and rebuilt in the style of each era three times between the 13th and 20th century. The last reconstruction after the Second World War lasted until the 1980s. During the reconstruction, parts of the medieval royal palace were uncovered and reconstructed. The National Gallery, the Historical Museum and the Széchenyi National Library are housed in the Buda Castle. Szent György tér, take the Castle Hill Funicular from Clark Ádám tér.
The Fisherman’s Bastion is located high above the Danube on the Castle hill and offers the most beautiful views of the city. The neoRomanesque complex with its corridors, arcades and towers was built in the late 19th century by the architect Frigyes Schulek (1841–1919). The Bastion takes its name from the guild of fishermen that was responsible for defending this stretch of the city walls and fortifications.
Built from 1967 until 1972, the New Bridge (also Most SNP) reminds of the Slovak National Uprising. A special attraction is the flying saucershaped structure housing a panoramic restaurant on the bridge‘s 84.6 m pylon. The restaurant is reached using a high-speed elevator located in the east pillar, and offers a good view over Bratislava.
The Castle dominating over the city and overlooking the Danube River is the major symbol of Bratislava. The castle was first mentioned in 805 and 907 (the latter in the Annals of Salzburg). Several sources report of three battles at Brezalauspurc in 907, which caused the fall of the Great Moravian Empire. The castle underwent several reconstructions during the Gothic and the Renaissance period. In May 1811, a devastating fire broke out, which quickly spread to the outer bailey. For 150 years, only the ruins of the castle overlooked the city. The castle was finally rebuilt after the Second World War from 1953 to 1968
The 51-meter-high gate tower has seven floors and offers an excellent view over the city from its upper observation deck. The elegant onion dome roof, which was originally a Gothic tower built in the mid-14th century, was rebuilt between 1753 and 1758 in Baroque style.
The road to the memorial Slavín, which was built to commemorate the Soviet soldiers who lost their lives in the liberation of Slovakia from the fascist regime, is especially worth a visit because of the spectacular view. The 40 m-high granite column with a statue of a soldier who represents the victorious flag on conquered territory can already be seen from afar.
For more than 1,000 years, Melk has been a cultural and religious centre of Austria. It was first founded as a castle and, since 1089, has been the Benedictine monastery which was founded by Margrave Leopold II. The empress rooms, which once accommodated Emperor Karl VI and Maria Theresia, Pope Pius VI and Napoleon, house a museum, which takes you back in time. The marble hall, the baroque church, the terrace with its fantastic view over the Danube and of course the library, which is one of the largest.
Castle Artstetten was the family estate and summer residence of the empress family and is the final resting place of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, who were both assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914. Over the years, the castle was rebuilt many times until it was built in today’s form: a middle square with seven towers. Since 1982, the Museum of Archduke Franz Ferdinand is located in the castle as well.
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