Krems an der Donau is a town of 23,932 inhabitants in Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria. It is the fifth-largest city of Lower Austria and is approximately 70 km west of Vienna.
Krems was first mentioned in 995, but settlement was apparent even before then. For example a child's grave, over 27,000 years old, was found here. This is the oldest grave found in Austria.
During the 11th and 12th centuries, Chremis, as it was then called, was almost as large as Vienna.Krems is the hometown of Martin Johann Schmidt, called "Kremserschmidt", the leading painter, draughtsman and etcher of the Austrian late Baroque.
Remains of the town wall are popular, but the biggest attraction in Krems is the town's late-Gothic Piarist church. The Steiner Tor, erected in 1480, is the only remaining medieval gate.