Dürnstein, Austria: the old and the not so old

This ruined castle, near Krems in the Wachau district, was destroyed by Swedish troops in 1645, just a few years before the end of the 30 Years War. (However, the town has not been twinned with Corfe Castle.)

In 1192-93 the Plantagenet King Richard I "Coeur de Lion" had been imprisoned here on his return from the successful Third Crusade, and was only released from custody a year later on receipt of a ransom of 150,000 marks - i.e. 65,000 pounds of silver.

The troubadour Blondel is claimed to have discovered Richard was held in Dürnstein by singing the first verse of a song to which Richard sang back the second. This is of course a delightful but romantic piece of nonsense which ensures that the town is a great tourist attraction.


The blue and white baroque tower (1710) is that of Dürnstein's abbey church.