After having a big breakfast at home, we directed to a small town Modling, located approximately 15 km south of Vienna, first with metro and next with the train. All in all, it took us around 1 hour.
Modling was first mentioned in the year 907. And it became a very powerful royal center in 1177 under the ruling Babenberg family, which is why people still call it the "Babenberg City".
Later, in the Middle Ages, Modling had a powerful regional wine influence and became a glamorous cultural capital where Europe's most famous poets gathered at its grand royal castle (unfortunately, now we can see only ruins from that castle).
Nowadays, the modern city, within area of 10 km2, has roughly 20000 residents and boasts high-end local boutiques, prestigious schools and an incredibly high quality of life.
The western edge of the city climbs upward into the mountains. This area is characterized by luxury, historic villas built in the late 19th century by wealthy Viennese elites who wanted summer homes, where would be fresh with alpine air.
Even Ludwig van Beethoven spent significant time in Modling between 1818 and 1820, finding the inspiration for some of his music here. So, there must be something special about this place.
Here is the ornate Plague Column, also known as the Holy Trinity Column (Dreifaltigkeitssaule). It was erected by the community in 1714 as a sacred, monumental monument to thank God for the end of the devastating Black Death plague that swept through Lower Austria. It features beautiful Baroque cloud carvings, saints and angels wrapped around the central pillar.
The heart of the city is fully pedestrianized, defined by beautifully restored Renaissance, Baroque and Biedermeier-style townhouses. And the Altes Rathaus with the clock tower is the most dominant visual structure on the main square.
Nearby I have noticed the spire of some church and offered to come closer.
And it was worth it.
The breathtaking views on the tiled roofs below, with the nearby hills and the old aqueduct.
So, Saint Othmar is a grand Gothic church built between 1454 and 1523. The building is made of local sandstone and designed like a fortress with thick walls to protect locals during the wars. Underneath the floorboards lie the hidden ruins of six older churches (such a "stack" of churches!) dating back to the 800s.
And this a rare, exceptionally well-preserved late-Romanesque chapel standing directly next to the church. The two-story rotunda building appeared here in 1182.
Because the high Gothic roof of the nearby church was engineered too weak to support heavy iron bells the Charnel House was assigned to serve as the church's official bell tower since 1698. Today, there are four massive functional bells here, from 475kg to 2200kg.
After such a nice stop we continued our walking towards the castle.
Honestly, we had some extra kilometers, because we did not turn in the right way. But I like exercising my legs, so no regrets from my side.
The castle's name translates to "bright stone". This castle is incredibly important because it gave the ruling family of the country of Liechtenstein their name and it is where their history began.
You should definitely take a tour around the castle. And of course, we did. We could see the restored rooms, furniture and old stuff there, and we were told some stories about the place and family. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to make any photos inside. But trust me, it is worth visiting.
Some photos from the balcony of the castle we could take, however. Imagining, how wealthy people were overlooking their lands in the past from that point where we were standing. And I think, that at the distance I was even able to see the skyscrapers of Vienna.
We have had some food from home, so we did a lunch break outdoors, enjoying the fresh air, the bright sky and amazing views. Not only the castle, but also the nature around is amazing here.
Now we are back to Vienna. I still have some hours before my train would depart to Prague. So, we need to spend this time somehow.
The Belvedere complex in Vienna is organized as a long, symmetrical axis sloping down a hill. The two distinct palaces face each other across a sprawling grand garden - the Lower Belvedere and the Upper Belvedere.
Actually, the name "Belvedere" translates from Italian to mean "beautiful view" (with Bel = Beautiful/Fair and Vedere = To see/The view).
The most beautiful is the upper Belvedere, which was built purely to show off the immense wealth and military triumphs of its owner Prince Eugene of Savoy, who was not from the Emperors family, but the military commander (this man must have been very important for the royal family, if he was allowed to built such luxurious palaces!). The palace is visually famous for its green domes, which were architecturally designed to resemble Turkish military tents as a nod to the prince's victories over the Ottoman Empire.
It is time to return to Prague.
In Vienna, close to the entrance of the train station, RegioJet also has to offer a dedicated lounge space, but it is not as good as it is in Prague. Still, you may have a seat there and get some hot drink. There is nothing to complain about, indeed.
The train was delayed for about one hour, so it is good that I could use the access to this lounge area from RegioJet.
I am traveling in the Business Class this time. It takes place in a small, semi-private and quiet compartments designed for a maximum of 4 passengers. Honestly, I was feeling much more comfortable with the Relaxed Class of RegioJet, where I could sit alone and not facing other strangers. But if you are planning a trip in a group of 4 people, it could be a good idea to have this compartment. Still, in the Business Class you have a complimentary Prosecco (or juice), additionally to coffee and tea.
PS I could not resist taking a plum cake (and it was really delicious!).
So, it was a very eventful trip to Vienna. I am thinking about coming here more often now. I simply want to visit museums and art galleries, and also to observe the Austrian neighborhood.
