Passau: Part 1 - Veste Oberhaus

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Passau: A Stunning Baroque City at the Meeting Point of Three Rivers

I passed by Passau by train (from Nürnberg to Vienna) a few times since end 2004. The scenes were breath-taking. I wished to see the cute and beautiful town in future. Until 2026, I was there and much delighted by Passau.

Why Passau Stands Out?

Passau is famously known as a Baroque town. After a devastating fire in 1662, the city was extensively rebuilt by Italian master builders, giving the Old Town a distinctly Mediterranean Baroque flair and earning it the nickname "Venice of Bavaria.

Today, Passau is a combination of old and new – a place that is modern and welcoming with many great traditions. The New Centre (Neue Mitte) adjacent to the old town is characterized with a city tower, modern buildings with its high-end shops and the central bus station.

I did some research and listed key sightseeing spots. As we had only 24 hours in Passau, we needed to choose between the spots. In this post, focus is put on the Veste Oberhaus. In the next post, I’ll share the visit of the Innpromenade, St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Pilgrimage Church of Mariahilf. 

Passau Railway Station

We arrived at MK Hotel Passau around 1pm. It is the closest hotel to the railway station. Room was decent and price fine.

 

Veste Oberhaus

We slowly proceeded towards the Veste Oberhaus, the former residence of the prince-bishops, via the edge of the old town. It now serves as a museum, a youth hostel, a restaurant, as well as an open-air theatre. It is a bit climb to the castle but not difficult. Then we immediately ascended to the highest point (Observation Tower with an upper platform) via a lift. It offers a fabulous 360° panorama.

Veste Oberhaus served both as a fortification and residence. The Oberhaus Museum presents exhibitions on the:

  • medieval life at the castle
  • eventful history of the city of Passau
  • significance as a trading centre

Sections of sculptures, paintings explain the above themes. A few sculptures look modern and cute, e.g., two cats playing chess. 

History and Presence Co-incidence
I randomly took a photo of a painting showing the New Episcopal Residence and St. Stephen's Cathedral in the museum. Coincidently, a photo of the modern time was taken by my partner. I only noticed the two when I reviewed the photos quietly. Surprisingly, the angle taken from my friend is so similar to the painter's, some hundred years later.


 

St. George Chapel is an important part of the Oberhaus Museum. It is believed that the chapel existed prior to the construction of the castle in the 13th century. The interior is nicely decorated with 600-year-old Gothic frescoes. In addition to Christ the Saviour and various patron saints, there is also a fresco cycle dedicated to St George, one of the finest and most extensive of its kind anywhere in Europe.


 

Three Rivers View

One of the highlights of the Oberhaus Museum is definitely the Linde Battery terrace offering a great viewing sight of Dreiflüsseeck (three rivers corner), the confluence of the Inn, Danube and Ilz. The three colour variants of the rivers meeting together is easily distinguishable. The water from the Inn, which comes directly from the Alps, is green, the one from the Danube is blue and the water from the Ilz is black as it comes directly from a moorland. 



Buildings between Rivers Inn & Danube

The name of upper house (Oberhaus) implies that there is a lower house (Niederhaus). Yes, there is, Veste Niederhaus, but it was sold in the 18th century. It is privately owned and not opened to the public.






Location: Oberhaus 125, 94034 Passau, Germany

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