Passau Old Town

Passau's Old Town sits on a narrow peninsula where the Danube and Inn rivers meet, with the smaller Ilz joining just opposite, which is why Passau is called the "City of Three Rivers." Pastel Baroque houses, the green-domed St. Stephen's Cathedral and a hilltop fortress make it one of the most photogenic towns in Bavaria. It is also a major stop for Danube river cruises and an easy rail trip from Munich or Regensburg.

Where it is and how to get there

Passau lies in eastern Bavaria, right on the Austrian border, roughly halfway between Munich and Vienna.

• By train: Deutsche Bahn connects Passau with Munich (via Landshut or Regensburg), Regensburg, Nuremberg and Vienna. From the main station, the Old Town is about a 15-minute walk.
• By car: Take the A3 autobahn. Parking near the cathedral is very limited, so use the garages on the edge of the Old Town, such as Zentralgarage or Parkhaus Bahnhofstraße.
• By boat: River cruise ships dock right along the Old Town waterfront.

A short history

The Romans built a fort here called Batavis, on the spot where the cathedral stands today. Passau has been a bishop's seat since 739, and its prince-bishops ruled a territory that reached deep into today's Austria. After a fire destroyed almost the entire town in 1662, Italian architects such as Carlo Lurago rebuilt it in Baroque style, giving Passau its Mediterranean look. The rivers also bring danger: in the 2013 flood, the Danube rose to 12.89 m, the highest level in about 500 years. Flood marks on the old town hall show how high the water has climbed over the centuries.

Things to do in Passau's Old Town

• St. Stephen's Cathedral: home to the largest cathedral organ in the world, built in 1928 with 208 stops. The organ is being restored until about 2028, so not all sections can currently be played.
• Organ concerts: From May to October, short midday concerts start at noon every day except Sundays and holidays. Tickets (€6, reduced €3 as of October 2026) are sold only on the day, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the ticket booth in the cathedral courtyard.
• Residenzplatz: an elegant square framed by the bishops' New Residence and the Gothic cathedral choir.
• Old Town Hall: right on the Danube, with ornate council halls and flood marks on its facade.
• Dreiflüsseeck: the tip of the peninsula, where you can watch the green Inn, the gray-blue Danube and the dark Ilz meet.
• Veste Oberhaus: a huge fortress above the Ilz with a museum and the best view of the Old Town.

Is it worth visiting?

Absolutely. Passau is compact and walkable, and a half day covers the highlights, while a full day lets you add the fortress and a boat ride. It works well as a day trip from Munich or Regensburg or as an overnight stop on a Danube trip toward Austria. The tourist office on Rathausplatz runs public walking tours. Note that the streets are steep and cobbled in places, which can be tricky with strollers or wheelchairs.

Nearby

• Mariahilf Pilgrimage Church: a Baroque church above the Inn, reached by a long covered stairway.
• Hals Castle ruins: in the Ilz valley on the northern edge of town.
• Bavarian Forest National Park: about an hour's drive north.