Wachau

Wachau Cultural Landscape

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location	Lower Austria, Austria
Criteria	Cultural: (ii)(iv)
Reference	970
Inscription	2000 (24th Session)
Area	18,387 ha (45,440 acres)
Buffer zone	2,942 ha (7,270 acres)
Website	www.wachau.at
Coordinates	48°21′52″N 15°26′3″E / 48.36444°N 15.43417°E / 48.36444; 15.43417
Location of Wachau in Austria

Wachau (2008)

Wachau seen from Danube river (2008)

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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]