Krems an der Donau facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Krems an der Donau
Statutory city
View of Krems
Flag Coat of arms
Krems an der Donau Location in Lower Austria Show map of Lower Austria Krems an der Donau Location in Austria Show map of Austria
Country	Austria
State	Lower Austria
District	Statutory city
Town rights	1305
Area
• Statutory city	51.66 km2 (19.95 sq mi)
Elevation	203 m (666 ft)
Population  (2018-01-01)
• Density	465/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
• Urban	c. 50,000
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	3500, 3506 (Krems-Süd)
Area code	02732, 02739 (Krems-Süd)
License plate	KS
Website	www.krems.at

Krems an der Donau is a historic town in Austria. It is located in the state of Lower Austria. Krems is the fifth-largest city in Lower Austria. It sits about 70 kilometers (43 miles) west of Vienna, the capital of Austria.

Krems is special because it is a "Statutory city" (or Statutarstadt). This means it acts as both a city and a district on its own.

Geography of Krems

Krems is found where two rivers meet: the Krems River and the mighty Danube River. This meeting point is at the eastern end of the beautiful Wachau valley. The town is also in the southern part of a region called Waldviertel.

Krems shares its borders with several other towns. These include Stratzing, Langenlois, Rohrendorf bei Krems, and Dürnstein.

History of Krems

View of Krems in 1679

View of Krems in 1900

View of Krems in 2006

The Danube River in Krems, showing the harbor

Krems was first officially mentioned in the year 995. This was in a document from a ruler named Otto III. However, people lived here much earlier than that. Scientists found a child's grave in Krems that is over 27,000 years old! This is the oldest grave ever found in Austria.

During the 11th and 12th centuries, Krems was called Chremis. It was almost as big and important as Vienna.

Towards the end of the Thirty Years' War, Swedish soldiers took over Krems in 1645. This happened during their invasion of Lower Austria. But the city was taken back by Austrian troops in May 1646.

Krems is famous for making Marillenschnaps. This is a type of brandy made from apricots. The town is also the home of Martin Johann Schmidt. He was a very important painter and artist during the late Baroque period in Austria. People often called him "Kremserschmidt."

Parts of the City

Krems is divided into several areas. These include:

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

Population Growth

The population of Krems has changed over the years. In 2022, about 25,271 people lived in the city. If you include the surrounding areas, the total population was around 50,000 by the end of 2010.

Climate in Krems

Krems has a varied climate throughout the year. Summers are generally warm, with average high temperatures in July around 25.8°C (78.4°F). Winters are cold, with average low temperatures in January around -3.2°C (26.2°F). The city gets some snow in winter, and rainfall is spread throughout the year, with more in the summer months.

Main Sights and Attractions

The Old Town of Krems

The historic Steiner Tor gate in Krems

The Piarist Church

The Dreifaltigkeitssäule (Holy Trinity Column)

A view of Stein an der Donau, a part of Krems

A panoramic view of Stein, showing churches

Krems has many interesting places to visit, especially in its old town.

Exploring the Old Town

The Old Town of Krems is full of history. Some important buildings and sights include:

• Bürgerspitalkirche
• Dominikanerkirche
• Dreifaltigkeitssäule: This is a beautiful column dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
• Gozzo Castle (Gozzoburg)
• Pfarrkirche St. Veit (St. Veit Parish Church)
• Piaristenkirche (Piarist Church)
• Steiner Tor: This old gate was built in 1480. It is one of the last remaining medieval gates in the city.

Sights Outside the Old Town

Beyond the historic center, you can find:

• Karikaturmuseum Krems: A museum dedicated to cartoons and caricatures.
• Kunsthalle Krems: An art exhibition hall.
• Landesgalerie Niederösterreich: A gallery showcasing art from Lower Austria.
• Minoritenkirche
• University Krems: A modern university campus.

Getting Around Krems

Krems Central Station

A motorway near Krems, leading to Vienna

Krems is an important hub for travel. You can get here by train, car, or even by bus.

Main Roads and Highways

Several major roads connect Krems to other cities:

• S5 (Stockerauer Schnellstraße): This highway goes from Krems to Vienna.
• S33 (Kremser Schnellstraße): This highway connects Krems to St. Pölten.
• B3 (Donau Straße): This road follows the Danube River towards Linz.

Train Connections

The main railway station in Krems is a busy place. You can catch trains to:

• Vienna on the Franz-Josefs-Bahn.
• St. Pölten on the Kremser Bahn.
• Spitz on the Donauuferbahn.

Air Travel

For smaller planes, there is the Gneixendorf airfield.

Travel Within the City

Inside Krems, there is a network of four bus lines. These buses run regularly to help people get around. In the summer, a special tourist train takes visitors to museums, the train station, and the boat terminal.

Public Services and Education

Bundesrealgymnasium Krems Ringstraße, a school in Krems

University for Continuing Education Krems

Krems offers many public services, especially in education.

Schools and Universities

The city has many schools for different age groups, including:

• Several high schools (Gymnasiums).
• The University for Continuing Education Krems.
• The IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems.
• The Danube Private University.
• The Karl Landsteiner Private University for Health Sciences.

Other Facilities

• Justizanstalt Stein: This is a prison that houses some of Austria's most serious offenders.

Fun and Sports Activities

If you like sports and being active, Krems has options for you:

• You can go swimming at the Kremser Strandbad.
• There are local teams for football (Kremser SC) and Ice hockey (KEV Eagles).
• You can play Miniature golf or visit the Skatepark.
• There are also teams for Team handball (Union Handballklub Krems) and Rugby.

Famous People from Krems

Many notable people have connections to Krems:

• Ava (around 1060–1127): She was a poet and the first known female writer in the German language. She lived in Krems.
• Margaret of Austria (1204–1266): She was a German queen and later Queen of Bohemia.
• Martin Johann Schmidt (1718–1801): A famous painter from the Austrian Rococo period, also known as "Kremser Schmidt."
• Franz Schneider (1812–1897): A doctor and chemist.
• Wilhelm Miklas (1872–1956): A politician who became the third President of Austria.
• Gregor Hradetzky (1909–1984): An organ builder and a canoeist who won two gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
• Ulrike Lunacek (born 1957): A journalist and politician.

Sister Cities

Krems has special friendships with other cities around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities":

• Ribe, Denmark (since 1971)
• Böblingen, Germany (since 1971)
• Beaune, France (since 1973)
• Passau, Germany (since 1974)
• Kroměříž, Czech Republic (since 1994)
• Grapevine, United States (since 1999)

See also

In Spanish: Krems an der Donau para niños