The Battle of Dürenstein ( also known as the Battle of Dürrenstein , Battle of Dürnstein and Battle of Diernstein ; German : Gefecht bei Dürrenstein ) , on 11 November 1805 was an engagement in the Napoleonic Wars during the War of the Third Coalition . Dürenstein ( modern Dürnstein ) is located in the Wachau Valley , on the River Danube , 73 kilometers ( 45 mi ) upstream from Vienna , Austria . The river makes a crescent @-@ shaped curve between Dürnstein and nearby Krems an der Donau and the battle was fought in the flood plain between the river and the mountains .