Hausstein Kapelle

Welcome to the Hausstein Chapel in St. Nikola an der Donau.

The iron cross comes from Hausstein Island.

On the morning of 20 September 1858, Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, accompanied by his wife Sisi and the court, boarded his new Danube yacht "Adler" for the first time. The water level had risen somewhat, the weather was fine and the Emperor was in a good mood. He inspected his ship, had all the details explained to him and showed great interest in the ship's service.

The journey to Grein went without incident. After passing the Struden section, at Hausstein, the ship ran aground and received a heavy blow. On closer inspection, it was discovered that the rear of the ship was taking on a lot of water and so it was decided to ground the ship opposite St Nikola, at the "Seiler im Sand", on the sandbank that still exists today.

The accident may have been the reason why the regulation work in the whirlpool and eddy was accelerated in the same year.

The inscription chiselled into the stone plaque above the chapel tells of this:

Emperor Franz Josef
freed shipping from the dangers of the Danube vortex
by blowing up the Hausstein rock island
1853 - 1866

Details can be found under the following links.