Wachau

Wachau Cultural Landscape
UNESCO World Heritage Site
LocationLower Austria, Austria
CriteriaCultural: (ii)(iv)
Reference970
Inscription2000 (24th Session)
Area18,387 ha (45,440 acres)
Buffer zone2,942 ha (7,270 acres)
Websitewww.wachau.at
Coordinates48°21′52″N 15°26′3″E / 48.36444°N 15.43417°E / 48.36444; 15.43417
Wachau is located in Austria
Wachau
Location of Wachau in Austria
Map of Wachau Cultural Landscape
Wachau (2008)
Wachau seen from Danube river (2008)
Problems playing this file? See media help.
Melk Abbey

The Wachau (German pronunciation: [vaˈxaʊ̯] ⓘ) is an Austrian valley with a picturesque landscape formed by the Danube river. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria, located midway between the towns of Melk and Krems that also attracts "connoisseurs and epicureans" for its high-quality wines.[1] It is 36 kilometres (22 mi) in length[2] and was already settled in prehistoric times. A well-known place and tourist attraction is Dürnstein, where King Richard I of England was held captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria. The architectural elegance of its ancient monasteries (Melk Abbey and Göttweig Abbey), castles and ruins combined with the urban architecture of its towns and villages, and the cultivation of vines as an important agricultural produce are the dominant features of the valley.[3][4][5]

The Wachau was inscribed as "Wachau Cultural Landscape" in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in recognition of its architectural and agricultural history, in December 2000.[3][6]

  1. ^ "Wachau Wine Region". Wine-Searcher.
  2. ^ "Getting there - Wachau Nibelungengau Kremstal". www.donau.com.
  3. ^ a b "Wachau Cultural Landscape". Unesco.org. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  4. ^ "Wachau (Austria) No 970" (PDF). Unesco.org. pp. 22–26. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
  5. ^ "Welcome to the region Wachau-Nibelungengau-Kremstal!". Wachau Official Website. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  6. ^ "United Nations Educational, Scientific And Cultural Organization Convention Concerning The Protection Of The World Cultural And Natural Heritage, World Heritage Committee:Twenty-fourth session, Cairns, Australia:27 November – 2 December 2000: Report". Unesco.org. Retrieved December 5, 2010.