ReConnecting Cruise 2023-2027
Danuvina Alacris back on the Danube again
After the Connecting Cruise 2022 the authentic replica of a 4th-century Roman ship is on another journey to visit the Living Danube Limes partner countries. The ReConnecting Cruise is another Danuvina Alacris tour along the Danube that aims to visualise and reconnect historical bonds and raise awareness of the region's cultural heritage. Numerous events and activities take place around the Roman ship, emphasising once again the unifying character of our common Roman heritage along the Danube Limes.
Logbook of the Danuvina Alacris
ReConnecting Cruise 2024: Austria
Arrival of the Danuvina Alacris in Austria
On 19th April, rowers who (together) participated in the Connecting Cruise 2022 make the first journey of the Danuvina Alacris in Austria as part of the ReConnecting Cruise, rowing from Krems to Tulln. On arrival, the crew is greeted in a festive atmosphere by the mayor of Tulln, Peter Eisenschenk.
The evening is rounded off with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Boris Dreyer (Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg) on the subject of "Scientific tests on Roman boats: Historical added value you can touch".
On 20th April, the Danuvina Alacris is officially taken over by the Center for Cultural Property Protection of the University for Continuing Education Krems for the year 2024.
Rowing like the Romans - Tulln
Tulln [Latin: Comagenis] was an important Roman military camp on the Danube and, with its architectural treasures such as the Römerturm, it is part of the Danube Limes World Heritage Site.
2000 years ago, a unit of the Roman Danube fleet temporarily used the harbour of the Comagenis camp.
As part of the ReConnecting Cruise, the Danuvina Alacris is moored in the Gästehafen Tulln (Guest Harbour) throughout the summer and can be booked for group trips.
Journey Towards Slovakia
On 10th October and travels down the Danube to Slovakia, where it will stay as part of the ReConnecting Cruise 2025.
From 10th to 13th October 2024, the Danuvina Alacris travels along the Austrian part of the Danube for the last time. The journey takes her and her crew from Tulln to Devín (Bratislava), where the ship is handed over to the Slovakian partner organisation of the Living Danube Limes project.
The Danuvina Alacris leaves the Gästehafen Tulln on Thursday morning, where it has been based during its stay in Austria this year.
On board are some of the rowers who were part of the Connecting Cruise 2022 crew, as well as new members. The journey continues downstream past the Lock Greifenstein to the first stage destination: Klosterneuburg, where the crew drops anchor at the pier of the Rowing Club Normannen.
Thursday, 10.10.
Tulln ➻ Klosterneuburg
On Friday, the journey continues downstream to the Nussdorfer Sporn (Vienna), where the Danuvina docks for a stopover with two Viennese primary school classes. The children, who are currently doing a lesson on Roman Vienna, are introduced to the authentic Roman ship. The Stadtarchäologie Wien provides exciting illustrative material and members of the Schleuderverein "Schlingel Team Austria" introduce the children to the equipment, clothing and the everyday life of a Roman soldier.
Around noon, the crew sets off again to row through Vienna on the main branch of the Danube, enjoying the beautiful skyline of the modern Vindobona, before docking at the day's destination in Fischamend.
Friday, 11.10.
Klosterneuburg ➻ Fischamend
On Saturday, the Danuvina crew travels through the beautiful Donau-Auen National Park towards Hainburg.
In nearby Deutsch-Altenburg, the Museum Carnuntinum, the oldest excavation museum in the German-speaking world, awaits its visitors with finds from Carnuntum, exhibits from the Lower Austrian State Collections, some of which have never been shown before, and a special cultural education programme to mark the arrival of the Danuvina Alacris.
After the exertions of the past few days, the crew of the Danuvina spends the night in the thermal baths of the Roman City of Carnuntum and recharge their batteries for the final Austrian stage of the journey.
Saturday, 12.10.
Fischamend ➻ Hainburg
On Sunday, the Danuvina and her crew set off to cross the national border down the Danube. In Devín (Bratislava) they are welcomed with a large Roman festival and officially handed over to the Slovak Municipal Monument Preservation Institute (MMPIB).
Sunday, 13.10.
Hainburg ➻ Devín
Romans north of the Danube?
Roman Trails Lottery
Take part in our survey and be in with a chance to win some great prizes!The Danube Limes is considered the ‘hard’ border of the Imperium Romanum. But many people don't know this: The Romans also operated north of the Danube! This mighty waterway was not a rigid border, but a gateway to the neighbouring regions in present-day Lower Austria, southern Moravia and western Slovakia.
Although the Czech Republic has no access to the Danube and therefore no Roman patrol boats to secure the river border existed in this region, it is known that there was a Roman presence in this area during the Marcomannic Wars in the 2nd century AD. Between 172 and 180 AD, the Emperor Marcus Aurelius established a military base on the Hradisko hill near Mušov, a village about 2 km east of Pasohlávky, which was abandoned after the Second World War. It probably served as an outpost in the Germanic area, about 90 km north of the border of the Roman Empire.
Gallery ReConnecting Cruise 2023-2027
2023 - Germany
2024 - Czechia
