The Burgermeister of Dürnstein is not the name of an obscure Franz Lehar operetta.
He’s a very real guy named Karl Brustbauer who takes his jobs very seriously. Dürnstein is a tiny town—population of the metro area is about 954—which calls itself the Jewel of the Wachau Valley. The title is apt. The Wachau is a 35 km (21 mile) valley along Austria’s segment of the Danube that lies northwest of Vienna. Its beauty is breathtaking, its towns are virtually untouched by 20th century modernization, and its people’s pride is palpable.
In the year 2000, the entire valley was designated as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. It was in 1972 that the United Nations decided that it was important to create a committee under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to evaluate and identify those places throughout the world that had unique value to mankind. In addition, the UN committed funds and effort to provide special consideration for the “protection of the cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value by the granting of special assistance which, although not taking the place of action by the State concerned, will serve as an efficient complement thereto.”
The UN was concerned that the sites were threatened with destruction or disappearance which would reduce the civilized values of the world. The plan is designed to safeguard those treasures in the world that have special meaning and significance not only to the people who live in the countries containing them, but also to the rest of the world. Through the year 2000, 529 properties were inscribed on the World Heritage List for their cultural values. For example, among the eight sites in the United States are Independence Hall, the Statue of Liberty and Mesa Verde.
There are six such sites in Austria and Dürnstein is one of them. The town has a fascinating history. In the years 1192-93, Richard the Lionhearted of England was returning from the Crusades when he was kidnapped and imprisoned in a fortress castle until a ransom was raised for his release. Parts of that castle are still standing above Dürnstein. According to legend, Richard’s presence was discovered by his troubadour, Blondel, who sang a song known only to the two of them. Blondel heard a verse repeated from deep inside a tower of the castle. After discovering his king, Blondel was able to negotiate the ransom of 50,000 silver marks which was raised. Richard was released. The original demand was 150,000 marks and the amount finally paid demonstrates that, even in the Middle Ages, everything was negotiable.
We spent our nights in Dürnstein in a tiny guest house called Sänger Blondel that was next door to a slightly larger inn called Richard Löwenherz (Lionheart). The attentive owners of Sänger Blondel are Johann and Weisberger Schendl. They are relative newcomers to the area; their business was begun by ancestors in 1730. We talked with Herr Schendl and the Burgermeister, Karl Brustbauer, in a garden restaurant that’s literally in the shadow of the famous Wedgewood blue 17th century steeple. Brustbauer was a bit late for our appointment—he was tapping the new wine (Heurige) in a ceremony dating back to the 18th century. The wine comes from his 10 hectare (about 24 acres) vineyard. The bottles he brought with him oiled the conversation.
We were joined at the table by Gottfried Thiery, a Viennese lawyer who is closely related to the owners of two of Durnstein’s hotels. Our conversation revolved around the future of this gorgeous place and the need to leave the region unspoiled while, at the same time, creating income sources from tourism. It’s not a simple question, but a tour of the region showed us how important it was to retain the pristine beauty of this premier wine growing region in Austria.
The valley itself runs its course between the towns of Krems and Melk. Boats ply the waters and excursion tours are a typical day trip. Our boating excursion took us from Dürnstein to Melk past medieval ruins, 18th century Baroque churches and palaces. The vineyards rising along the banks of the river and up the slopes are evidence of the economic focus of the region. It’s the core of the Austrian white wine making industry that is centered in the Wachau town of Spitz. The green slopes provide a comforting alternative to the bustle of city life and people visiting the region appreciate the importance of that difference. We were reminded of a similar boat trip along the Rhine, in Germany, between Rudesheim and Koblenz.
Near Spitz, the ruins of a crenellated castle on a hillside command traffic on the river and overlook the sloping vineyards beneath its towers. The ship then glides past the impressive onion-domed castle called Schönbühel that has stood 130 feet above the river as a monument to the church since 1160. It is also along this stretch of the Danube that the Venus of Willendorf was found. This tiny statue, now in Vienna’s Natural History Museum, has been dated back over 20,000 years, a testament to the long history of civilization in the Wachau.
In Melk, the abbey was founded in 1089, but was reconstructed after a fire in a Baroque style between 1701 and 1730. The abbey soars over the river and is reached by a walk through the town. Though tour busses climb the steep roads to the abbey, walking through the town that grew up in the shadow of the abbey gives a feeling of returning to the mood of medieval times. It also causes a lot of huffing and puffing as tourists climb the approximately twelve stories to the huge installation.
We noted that all the relics and artifacts in the buildings are labeled and described in English. One of the chief attractions of the abbey is the library, an 80,000 volume collection of manuscripts, many of them beautifully illuminated by the monks who lived there. It’s a working church and its ornate gilded Baroque interior was restored in 1989. The pulpit and high altar were designed by the Italian Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena. There are organized tours of the church, library and abbey, but it’s also easy to see them on your own and at your own pace because of the simplicity of the tour route.
The UNESCO designation, in 2000, of the Wachau Cultural Landscape has created concern among the people who treasure the region most deeply. They want to share the beauty of their corner of the world with everyone. It’s a source of pride to all of them. But at the same time, they want to preserve that unspoiled beauty for the future. People like Herren Brustbauer, Schendl and Thiery are working to that end. But one thing is certain. They want to protect their region—that’s primary—so that all of us can enjoy and appreciate their treasure.
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