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.

Mathias Orgeldinger

Austria & Czech Republic 2024

After an exciting year in Germany in 2023, the Danuvina Alacris continues her journey as part of the ReConnecting Cruise 2024. She returns to Austria, visit the Czech Republic and travel on to Slovakia in autumn.

🇦🇹 Austria

Arrival of the Danuvina Alacris in Austria

Michaela Kukula

Stadtgemeinde Tulln

Margit Schedel

Daniel Schollar

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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.

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Rowing like the Romans - Tulln

Stadtgemeinde Tulln

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Tulln [Roman: 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.

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🇨🇿 Czech Republic

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.

From mid-July to the early September, the Danuvina Alacris is visiting the Czech Republic as part of the ReConnecting Cruise and can be seen at today's upper Mušov reservoir Mušovská in the village of Pasohlávky.

Arrival of the Danuvina Alacris in Mušov

Michaela Kukula

Raffaela Woller

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On July 18th, 2024, the Danuvina Alacris is ransported overland from Tulln to the Czech Republic.

After the launch on the lake at the Mušovská Reservoir, an event with various Roman re-enactment groups takes place on 19th July. Numerous visitors of the nearby aquapark are given an authentic insight into Roman life on the northern bank of the Danube.
In addition to the performances of the Roman historical re-enactors, several lectures are offered, including the construction of the Roman ship as part of the Living Danube Limes project, the latest research results on Roman horsemen, and the newly designed exhibition of the Mušov – Brána do Římské říše Visitor Centre with its archaeological exhibits.

At the end of the event, visitors are able to watch the Danuvina Alacris make its first trip on the lake.

During her stay in the Czech Republic, three events take place under the motto "Navigare necesse est", during which the Danuvina Alacris is taken on trips with a Roman crew. The supporting programme includes parades of historical groups, soldier duels and the presentation of Roman horsemen.

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🇦🇹 Rowing like the Romans: Tulln ➻ Klosterneuburg ➻ Vienna ➻ Fischamend ➻ Deutsch-Altenburg ➻ Devín

After being transported back to Austria and transferred back to Tulln, the Danuvina departs again 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 will take 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.

see Event Page

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The Danuvina Alacris leaves the Gästehafen Tulln at around 9.00 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 will drop anchor at the pier of the Rowing Club Normannen.

From 16:00 to 18:00, visitors are invited to join a guest rowing trip and row together with rowers from the Danuvina crew in 20-minute rowing sessions.

Registration on site
No experience required
No participation fee

Thursday, 10.10.

Tulln ➻ Klosterneuburg

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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, will be introduced to the authentic Roman ship. The Stadtarchäologie Wien provides exciting illustrative material and re-enactors introduce the children to their equipment, clothing and the everyday life of a Roman soldier.

Around 12:00 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. (No visits possible at the landing point).

Friday, 11.10.

Klosterneuburg ➻ Fischamend

Stadtarchäologie Wien

On Saturday from 9.00, the Danuvina crew travels through the beautiful Donau-Auen National Park towards Deutsch-Altenburg. (No visits possible at the landing point).
There, 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 ➻ Deutsch-Altenburg

Museum Carnuntinum

On Sunday, the Danuvina and her crew set off at around 10:00 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) (scheduled arrival time: 12:00).

Sunday, 13.10.

Deutsch-Altenburg ➻ Devín

More details (Slovak)

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Romans north of the Danube?
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.