Passau in Germany - a wonderful ancient small town of southeastern, or lower, Bavaria near the border with two countries - the Czech Republic and Austria. It is located in an amazing area where three rivers of different shades converged: the main river of the European Union, the blue Danube and its tributaries, the full-flowing green Inn and the small winding black Ilz.
The perfectly preserved Bavarian city built in the Baroque style is a trade and transport center with a population of over 50 thousand people. It is most convenient for tourists to get to Passau from Munich by train in 2 hours.
History
The city of Passau in Germany dates back to the 3rd century. BC. from the ancient Celtic fortress village of Boyodurum, which was formed in the area of the modern city hall and became famous for the trade in s alt and graphite. In the 1st century BC. the Romans created a fortification on one of the hills of the Three-Rivers - Castellum Boiotro, on the site of which in 280 a settlement of the Germanic Batavian tribe arose, who drove the Romans away, called Batavis (lat.), laterturned into Passau. From the 5th c. the territory of the modern city was finally taken over by the Germanic tribes, and Saint Severin, the patron saint of Bavaria and Austria, gave rise to the local spiritual history, founding a Christian community here. In 738, Passau had the status of the capital of the bishopric headed by the Bavarian Duke Theobald, since 999 - the capital of the archbishopric, the largest and most influential in the Holy Roman Empire. The famous epic Nibelungenlied was recorded in the 12th century. in Passau under Bishop Wolfger.
Economic development of the "city of 3 rivers", based on shipping, trade and transshipment of Salzburg s alt, production of edged weapons, in the 12th-15th centuries. accompanied by uprisings of residents against the Catholic authorities. The Treaty of Passau, signed in 1552 by the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles V of Habsburg, allowed the townspeople to practice the Lutheran religion. Despite this, the city was and remains Catholic today, like all of Bavaria. The development of the city stopped when in 1594 the Duke of Bavaria deprived him of most of the budget, single-handedly seizing the right to s alt trade. For several centuries, the archbishopric, which belonged to the Roman Empire, had a huge influence not only in Bavaria, but also in Hungary and Austria. Sunset happened in 1784 when Emperor Frederick III separated from him the diocese of Vienna. During the wars with Napoleon, secularization took place in Germany, Passau ceased to exist as an independent theocratic state and in 1805 joined Bavaria.
Sights of Passau, Germany
Let's turn to history. In the 17th century 2 devastating fires occurred in Passau (Germany), after which the invited Italian architects Carlone and Luragio, as well as Czech builders and Viennese masons, created luxurious gilded Baroque palaces, Venetian arches and various facades in warm and rich colors, interspersed with narrow, cozy, not crowded streets. Since then, densely built-up Passau, which was not badly damaged in the Second World War, makes a solid impression and has several hundred protected architectural monuments.
The main ones are in the center, on a small peninsula that looks like a huge ship, and next to it on the elevated banks of the Inn and the Danube. Many cruise ships stop in Passau for several hours. Information points for tourists, where you can order excursions and get a free map of the city, are located near the railway station and in the building of the new City Hall.
St. Stephen's Cathedral
The main attraction of the city of Passau, Germany - the main church of the bishopric - the snow-white cathedral occupies a dominant "floating" position in the old city due to its placement at a height of 13 m above the Danube between two rivers. It was built during the reign of Archbishop Wenceslaus von Thun by Italian craftsmen in 1668 on the ruins of an ancient temple in the late Gothic and Baroque style with a courtyard andtraditional Bavarian onions on 68-meter towers. On the Cathedral Square in 1824, the townspeople erected a monument to the Bavarian king Maximilian I in an imperious pose.
The interior decoration of the temple is striking with stucco, sculptures, gilding, painting on wet plaster, paintings by German Baroque artists, including the famous Johann-Michael Rottmayr. A separate masterpiece of the shrine is the largest organ with 18 thousand pipes, participating in the mass, and in the summer you can listen to it at daily concerts.
Fortress Oberhaus - Upper Castle
On the high left bank of the Danube from the city center you can clearly see an interesting example of fortification - the large Oberhaus fortress, built in 1219 and rebuilt more than once, thanks to which the bishopric of 6 centuries held power and defended itself from popular uprisings. In 1805-1932. a prison was located in the castle, and now there is a historical museum with an area of 3 thousand square meters. m and an observation deck with an amazing view of the confluence of 3 rivers.
Niederhaus Fortress - Lower Castle
One of the powerful stone fortress walls of the Upper Castle in Passau (Germany), along which troops and guns could move, leads down to the confluence of the purest Ilz into the great Danube, where in the 13th century. Niederhaus was erected to collect tribute from ships, which survived a major gunpowder explosion in 1435. The lower castle, together with the upper one, provided the city with reliable protection of the river trade routes. Privately owned and closed to tourists.
Residenzplatz
To the east of the cathedral on the central square of the Residenz in Passau, Germany, since 1730, the New Episcopal Residence in the Viennese late Baroque style with a magnificent balcony of the Italian architects Beduzzi and d´Angeli has been located. A little later, the palace acquired a modern facade and balustrade, as well as rich interiors in the Rococo style and a ceiling fresco depicting the Olympian gods. The church administration and the Diocesan Museum with a valuable library and church interior items and utensils are located here. In front of the building there is a fountain from 1903 with a sculpture of the patroness of Bavaria, the Virgin Mary, surrounded by symbols of three rivers. The square also houses the city theater in the building of the Old Bishop's Residence from 1783
Old Town Hall
Town Hall Square overlooks the banks of the Danube. Here, on the site of a fish market in 1405, in the style of a Venetian palazzo, the old Town Hall was erected with a Gothic defensive clock tower attached to it in 1892, on which, since 1991, the largest complex in Bavaria of 23 bells (88 melodies) with an electronic management. The facade of the building with images of local archbishops, Emperor Ludwig IV, marks on the city's flood levels and a commemorative plaque dedicated to the stay in the city of the Bavarian princess Sissi, the future queen, the beautiful Elisabeth of Austria, looks impressive and interesting.
The interior decoration of the Great and Small Gothic halls of the Town Hall, decorated by Italian masters, is striking. An old stone staircase leads toThe large hall by Carlone with powerful columns, pompous vaults and gilded chandeliers, decorated with monumental paintings by the local honorary citizen Ferdinand Wagner with scenes from the history of the city and the German epic.
Small hall with magnificent ceiling and wall pictorial allegories on the theme of Passau and 3 rivers is often closed to tourists for wedding ceremonies.
Mariahilf Monastery
Formed on the right high bank of the Inn River around the early Baroque church built in 1627 by the Italian architect Garbanino. To the monastery, which has an icon of the Virgin Mary - a copy of the famous painting by Lucas Cranach, leads a penitential steep climb of 321 steps, covered with a gallery visible from afar.
The monastery complex once delighted Emperor Napoleon with its laconic beauty and good location.
Glass Museum
Located in an old hotel of the 19th century. not far from the Town Hall Square and has 30 thousand exhibits of Bohemian glass from a private collection, including the Art Nouveau era - the heyday of this art in the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. Having visited Passau in Germany, Mikhail Gorbachev and the writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt spoke enthusiastically about this collection. Astronaut Neil Armstrong was invited to open the museum in 1985.
University
The youngest Bavarian university in Passau, Germany, founded in 1978 on the basis of the Catholic TechnologicalInstitute and teaches a fifth of the city's residents - 10 thousand students, among whom there are many foreigners, and most of them are Austrian and Russian students. He became one of the best in Germany, gaining fame as a forge of diplomatic personnel. Specializes in teaching philosophy, economics, law, information technology and 9 foreign languages.
At the end of the trip, take a walk along the Inn promenade past the Scheiblingsturm tower 13-14th century. - the only reminder of the s alt harbor, admire the Marienbrücke bridge, look at the Toy Museum or the Museum of Modern Art, take interesting photos of Passau (Germany). A small German city with Italian architecture, a Christian heart and southern flair, "a ship on 3 European rivers", will impress you with its unique geographical position, glorious ancient history, Bavarian grooming and an abundance of magnificent monuments.
Reviews of tourists
The Inn Promenade in Passau is great. Plunging into the luxurious medieval architecture, tourists can feel like the Nibelungs. Cathedrals, squares, museums of the Bavarian city impress with Italian chic.
Many people say that you can't get around everything at once, there are so many interesting and unique sights in the city!
Very fond of vacationers walks on a hot summer day on the boat along the Passau rivers from the pier on the Town Hall Square. Tickets can be bought at the booth at the gangway. Clean river air, landscape views with castles will not leave anyone indifferent.
