June 23-25, 2008:
After a brief stop in Bratislava, Slovakia (not memorable), we rented a car and started exploring the Danube Valley in Austria.
Our Bed & Breakfast, Danube Valley:
We stayed at a beautiful Bed & Breakfast in the Danube Valley.
Bed & Breakfast in the Danube Valley
Vineyards nearby
Along the Danube River:
Weitenegg Ruined Castle
Dürnstein Church
Cruise Boat
Dürnstein Castle
Vineyards along the Danube
Fortified Church of St. Michael:
Fortified Church of St. Michael
Town of Spitz, Austria:
Town of Spitz
Jesus with Arrows, Spitz
War Memorial, Spitz
St. Mauritius Church, Spitz
Ruine Hinterhaus, Spitz
Melk Abbey:
Melk Abbey is a Benedictine abbey above the town of Melk, Lower Austria, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river, adjoining the Wachau valley.
Melk Abbey – Photo: 365Austria
Melk Abbey – Wikipedia – Thomas Ledl
Statue of St. John of Nepomuk – Melk Town Square
Climbing up to Melk Abbey
Melk Abbey Plan
Entrance to Melk Abbey
Fresco in St. Benedict’s Hall by Franz Rosenstingl
Courtyard
Entrance Stairs
Jörg Breu’s winged altar with the cross by Arnulf Rainer – Melk Abbey Museum
Marble Hall
Pallas Athena on a chariot drawn by lions – Marble Hall
View of the Town of Melk from Melk Abbey
Melk Abbey Church
Melk Abbey Church Interior
Bones of a Saint – Melk Abbey Church Interior
Spiral Staircase between the Melk Abbey Church and Library
Melk Abbey Library
Justice Allegory – Melk Abbey Library
Melk Abbey Square Overlooking the Danube River
Old Clock – Melk Abbey
Melk Abbey Gardens
Garden Pavilion – Melk Abbey
Garden Sculptures – Melk Abbey
Mauthausen Concentration Camp:
Mauthausen was a German Nazi concentration camp on a hill above the market town of Mauthausen, Austria. It was the main camp of a group with nearly 100 further subcamps located throughout Austria and southern Germany.
Mauthausen Concentration Camp
As at other Nazi concentration camps, the inmates at Mauthausen and its subcamps were forced to work as slave labour, under conditions that caused many deaths. Mauthausen and its subcamps included quarries, munitions factories, mines, arms factories and plants.
We learned that detainees who were unable to carry rocks from the Mauthausen quarry were shot to death.
“Stairway of Death” from the Mauthausen Quarry to the Camp
Rock Smashing Memorial
The conditions at Mauthausen were even more severe than at most other Nazi concentration camps. Half of the 190,000 inmates died at Mauthausen or its subcamps.
Memorials Honoring Victims
Mauthausen was one of the first massive concentration camp complexes in Nazi Germany, and the last to be liberated by the Allies. The Mauthausen main camp is now a museum.
Barracks
Prison Conditions
Quarantine Yard
Detainees Chapel
Dissection Room
Executions Site
Ovens
Oven Openings to Stoke the Fires
Gas Chamber
Memorial Wall
Cross
Back Along the Danube River:
Danube River Locks
Basilica Maria Taferi
Interior – Basilica Maria Taferi
Arstetten Palace
Arstetten Palace Interior
Cemetery Along the Danube
Dinner Beside the Danube River
Old Town Krems
This concludes our tour of the Danube Valley, Austria. Our next stop is Vienna, Austria.