Krems an der Donau, Lower Austria, Austria

🇦🇹 Krems an der Donau is a town in Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria. It is the fifth-largest city of Lower Austria and is approximately 70 km west of Vienna. Krems is a city with its own statute, and therefore it is both a municipality and a district. Krems is located at the confluence of the Krems and Danube Rivers at the eastern end of Wachau valley, in the southern Waldviertel.

Krems borders the following municipalities: Stratzing, Langenlois, Rohrendorf bei Krems, Gedersdorf, Traismauer, Nußdorf ob der Traisen, Paudorf, Furth bei Göttweig, Mautern an der Donau, Dürnstein, and Senftenberg. Krems is the primary producer of Marillenschnaps, an apricot brandy.

History Krems was first mentioned in 995 in a certificate of Otto III, but settlement was apparent even before then. For example, a child's grave, over 27,000 years old, was found here. This is the oldest grave found in Austria.

During the 11th and 12th centuries, Chremis, as it was then called, was almost as large as Vienna.

At the end of the Thirty Years' War, Swedish troops captured Krems in 1645 during their invasion of Lower Austria. The city was recaptured by Imperial troops under Hans Christoph von Puchheim and Johann Wilhelm von Hunolstein on 5 May 1646.

Krems is the primary producer of Marillenschnaps, an apricot brandy. It is also the hometown of Martin Johann Schmidt, called "Kremserschmidt", the leading painter, draughtsman and etcher of the Austrian late Baroque.

City division • Innenstadt (Inner City) • Weinzierl • Mitterau • Stein • Egelsee • Rehberg • Am Steindl • Gneixendorf • Lerchenfeld • Krems-Süd (South Krems).

Old town • Bürgerspitalkirche • Dominikanerkirche • Dreifaltigkeitssäule • Göglhaus • Gozzoburg • Großes Sgraffitohaus • Pfarrkirche St. Veit • Piaristenkirche • Pulverturm • Rathaus • Simandlbrunnen • Steiner Tor: The gate, erected in 1480, is the second remaining medieval gate

Outside the Old Town • Frauenbergkirche • Göttweigerhofkapelle • Großer Passauerhof • Karikaturmuseum Krems • Kloster Und • Kremser Tor • Kunsthalle Krems • Forum Frohner • Landesgalerie Niederösterreich • Linzer Tor • Mauthaus • Minoritenkirche • Pfarrkirche Hl. Nikolaus • Salzstadl • University Krems

Transport The city's main railway station is a junction of the Franz-Josefs Railway to Vienna, the Kremser Railway to St. Pölten, the Donauufer Railway to Spitz and the regional railway to Horn. It is at the intersection of the Stockerauer Speedway S5 and the Kremser Speedway S33, and is traversed by the Danube Road B3, the Retzer Road B35, the Kremser Road B37 and the Langenloiser Road B218. Krems is a junction of the Wieselbus bus lines, which provides radial connections between Sankt Pölten and the different regions of Lower Austria.

Main Roads • Stockerauer Schnellstraße (S5) from Krems to Vienna • Kremser Schnellstraße (S33) from Krems to St. Pölten • Donau Straße (B3) from Krems to Linz • Aggsteiner Straße (B33) from Krems to Melk ◦ Aggsteiner Straße (B33a) from Krems to Mautern an der Donau • Retzer Straße (B35) from Krems to Retz • Kremser Straße (B37) from Krems to Rastenfeld ◦ Kremser Straße (B37a) from Krems to Traismauer • Langenloiser Straße (B218) from Krems to Langenlois

Railroad • Franz-Josefs-Bahn from Krems to Vienna • Kremser Bahn from Krems to St. Pölten • Donauuferbahn from Krems to Spitz • Kamptalbahn from Krems to Sigmundsherberg

Air traffic • Gneixendorf airfield is a small general aviation airport.

In the city A network of four bus lines operates at regular intervals within the city. Every summer, a tourist train connects the ancient parts of the city with museums, the central railway station and the passenger ship terminal of Krems.

Educational facilities • BHAK/BHAS Krems • Bundesgymnasium Piaristen • Bundesgymnasium Rechte Kremszeile • Bundesreal- and Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium (BORG) Krems Heinemannstraße • Bundesrealgymnasium Krems Ringstraße • Danube Private University • University for Continuing Education Krems • Adult education centre • HLA/HLW Krems • HLF Krems • HTBL Krems • IMC Fachhochschule Krems (University of Applied Sciences) • Karl Landsteiner Privatuniversität für Gesundheitswissenschaften • Oberstufenrealgymnasium Englische Fräulein • School of education

Prison • Justizanstalt Stein is a prison housing some of Austria's worst offenders.

Leisure and sports sites Swimming is available at Kremser Strandbad (indoor swimming pool) and outdoor. • Football – Kremser SC • Ice hockey – KEV Eagles • Miniature golf • Rugby Club Krems • Skatepark • Team handball – Union Handballklub Krems • Union Badminton Krems.