Where three rivers meet

With another hot day forecast, we didn’t linger too long over breakfast. Yet again I was unable to find an English walking tour, so downloaded an app that provided a reasonable walking route of Passau. 

An interesting sculpture greeted us as we reached the Danube River and walked along the promenade checking out the multiple river cruise boats. We passed the Old Town Hall, decorated with paintings of Emperor Ludwig and four flag bearers, being the electorates of Saxony, Trier, Cologne and the Duchy of Bavaria.  There was also a marker showing flood heights, with the highest level recorded in 1501 when the Danube reached a peak of 13.20 metres.  This was only slightly higher than the 2013 floods where the river peaked at 12.89 metres. 

A little further on we could see Veste Niederhaus, a historic castle built in the eighth century, destroyed in a powder explosion and reconstructed in the 15th century. It was later used as a prison, then a military fort and is now privately owned.  

Our first destination was Veste Oberhausen, situated high above the city. The former residence of prince bishops, it is one of the largest remaining castle complexes in Europe.  As we climbed the 200 stairs we had fabulous views back across to Passau.   The battlements path offered more good views and we could see the blue-brown waters of the Danube river meeting the milkier greens of the Inn River. After deciding not to visit the museum, we continued past the youth hostel and found a lift to take us to the observation point for even better views. 

We retraced our steps back to the Danube and admired the statue of the Innkeeper’s daughter as we made our way to ‘Dreiflusseeck’ the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers. Despite the hype, it was a little underwhelming, so we didn’t linger and followed the path around the peninsula. As we walked along the Inn River we could see the Schaibling Tower, originally built as a defensive structure, then with multiple functions including a storage facility for salt, a mooring point and then as accommodation.  It is now owned by a high school and occasionally used for seminars.

Across the Inn River we could see the ‘Mariahilf’ a baroque pilgrimage church. A covered stairway leads up to the pilgrimage chapel.  Climbing more steps didn’t appeal, so we opted for a coffee instead. 

St Stephen’s cathedral dominated the skyline of Passau and we headed towards it, through Residence Square, passing the Wittelsbach fountain which shows Mary surrounded by three angels, that symbolise Passau’s three rivers. The cathedral was closed due to an organ recital, but there was a farmers market underway in the square in front of the Cathedral. It was smaller that we had hoped, but we were still able to buy some bread rolls and thick salami slices for lunch.  Whilst queuing at the cheese truck, we noticed that one was particularly in demand, and after a tasting, we bought a thick slice of the nutty Swiss cheese, together with a soft Dordogne cheese.

It was too hot to sit in the square, so we made our way back to the Inn River to find a spot in the shade, passing the Memorial for the Victims of national Socialism, that honours those who lost their lives during the period of Nazi rule in Germany as well as a reminder to the atrocities committed during the Holocaust. 

We returned to St Stephen’s cathedral, renowned for having the biggest cathedral organ in the world. It is made up of five individual organ works with a total of 17,974 pipes and 233 registers which can be played together from the main console.  A five-year program of works, due for completion in 2027, is currently underway to rebuild the organ and deal with issues such as fire protection, dust accumulation, mold and woodworm infestation. 

After a quick look at the monument to Bavaria’s first King Maximilian I, we walked down down a steep alleyway to explore the Hollgasse Artists Alley.  Apart from the coloured cobblestones and a few interesting items suspended along the alley, most of the shops were closed and there was little to see.  

We decided to head back to our accommodation for a late afternoon rest, before eating leftover curry for dinner. 

Prev entry - Home - Next entry