On our luxury river cruise on the Danube River, we visited Linz, the third-largest city in Austria. It is also is a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a city of Media Arts. We spent the morning (about 1.5 hours) exploring this unique city. We docked near the Lentos Art Museum, so we walked the short distance to the center of the old town.

1. Hauptplatz

Hauptplatz is the main square of Linz. Completed in 1723 to memorialize the Great Plague, you will find the 65-foot tall white marble plague column in the center of the square. Colorful buildings surround the square, including the old city hall and Feichtinger-Haus, which houses the famous Glockenspiel (19 bells). You can hear the Glockenspiel play well-known melodies three times per day (11:03 AM, 2:03 PM, and 5:03 PM).

2. Linz Castle Museum

Located on a hill above Linz, the Linz Castle Museum provides amazing views of the city. Rudolf II arranged its construction in the 17th century. On one side of the building are the original walls of the castle, however, the other side has a modern facade of glass and steel (the city fire of 1800 destroyed this side). The castle houses artistic and cultural collections of the Upper Austrian Provincial Museum.

3. Linzer Landhaus

Constructed in two parts in the 16th century, the Linzer Landhaus is an impressive Renaissance building. It was originally a Protestant landscape school with the famous scientist Johannes Kelper teaching here. The appearance of the building changed when parts of the building were rebuilt in 1802 after the destruction of the 1800 city fire. In 1861, the house had been the seat of the Upper Austrian state parliament.

4. New Cathedral

The New Cathedral is the largest church in Austria but not the tallest. The tallest is St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. At the time of its construction no building was allowed to be taller than this Cathedral. The stained glass windows are stunning and I highly recommend taking the time to look at them. Modern art stained glass replaced some of the windows damaged during World War II.

5. Ars Electronica Center

The Ars Electronica Center is a very interesting modern building. During the day it is a metal and glass building. However, each glass panel is equipped with LED lights, so at night the whole building is a large light display. The Ars Electronica Center, also known as the “Museum of the Future,” features exhibitions on art, technology, and society.

Bonus: eat the Linzer Torte

No visit to Linz is complete without trying the Original Linzer Torte. It is like a shortcake with red current preserves and decorated with a lattice design. It is thought to be the oldest cake in the world, dating back to 1696. We tried the Linzer Torte at Cafe Konditorei.

Are you ready to explore the cities along the Danube? Contact us today to start planning your luxury river cruise vacation.