Lynx-like Linz@Linz Castle

In January 2020, at Linzer Schloss (Linz Castle) in Linz, Austria, we came across a tourist information board titled "Lynx-like Linz." According to legend, the name Linz derives from Lynx (Eurasian lynx), stemming from a dream experienced by a duke who once attempted to invade the city. Below is our modest English translation:

‹Lynx-like Linz›

Of course, there are cities with rather bland names. The name Linz, on the other hand, traces its origins back to a dream. According to legend, in the year 784 AD, Duke Tassilo of Bavaria laid siege to the city. Yet despite mounting a fierce attack, he was unable to capture it.

Then one night, the Duke dreamed that he was out hunting.

In his dream, he pursued a single luchs (lynx) with intense determination. He tried every possible trick, and yet he still could not bring the lynx down.

When morning came, the dream remained vividly etched in the Duke's mind. It was so clear that it struck him as a revelation or divine sign. Making an immediate decision, he lifted the siege, and as he withdrew, he cried out: "From this day forth, your name shall be Aurelium Lynx!"

"Luchs" is "Lynx" in Latin. That is how the city got its name — Linz.

— From Danube Legends retold by Helmut Wittmann

As these kinds of encounters kept piling up, wildcats somehow managed to sneak their way into our project before we even realized it!