Above the Old Town

Inn and Danube meet each other at a narrow angle, giving Passau the appearance of having been built on a wedge-shaped peninsula. The almost romantic-looking skyline is punctuated by towers. Little towers, medium-sized towets, huge towers, belonging to churches, the cathedral, monasteries, and other historic buildings. 

Over 100 meters above the river valley, the Veste Oberhaus castle, first constructed in 1219, is connected to the Unterhaus by a fortified wall descending the steep hill. Its position offered a safe retreat for the ruling bishops in old times. In the Middle Ages, it was besieged several times, including revolts by the local populace. Sadly, its dungeons have a dark history.

Today, the Oberhaus contains a museum, a youth hostel and an upmarket restaurant, among other things.

Below the hill, the river Ilz flows into the Danube, separating the Unterhaus from Ilzstadt. The Ilz is known as the "black pearl" of Bavaria. (However, no Pirates of the Caribbean have been spotted here to the best of our knowledge.) Its waters are dark, filled with wildlife, and it used to be an important river for pearl fishing and timber transport. Today, nature is strictly protected along much of its length.

On the Southern bank of the river Inn, Innstadt feels almost a little independent from Passau. With its own brewery, festivals and the pilgrimage church Wallfahrtskirche Mariahilf, Innstadt is certainly a significant borough of the city. The Mariahilf church, too, was the site of sieges and significant historic events, which led to it becoming a centre of pilgrimage. 

The mixing of the waters of Inn, Ilz and Danube is striking to watch from above, as each river has its own colour. 

The Danube is not as busy with river traffic as it used to be, but it is still used for freight transport and passenger cruises. In the summer season, people take cruise ships from Passau, some of which go as far as the Black Sea. If you haven't got a several weeks, or you don't want to cruise all the way to the Ukraine and Romania, then regular day trips to Linz and weekend trips to Vienna can offer a taste of life on board a river cruise.