Passau, Germany
Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
To start at the beginning of this series, visit Grand European River Cruise
“Founded by the Celts more than 2,000 years ago, Passau is one of Bavaria’s oldest cities. Known as the “City of Three Rivers” (Dreiflüssestadt), it rests at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers. The city has long enjoyed its strategic position and grew to great economic and political power because of it. The legacy of its past prosperity lives on in graceful arcades, colorful houses with rococo facades and the glorious baroque St. Stephen’s Cathedral, home to one of Europe’s largest pipe organs. Passau is also where two nations meet; it is here that the German-Austrian border begins.” – Viking Cruise information
Passau Walking Tour
We docked in Passau around 9am and met our ride to our morning tours shortly thereafter. Little did we know that on our journey into town, we’d get a preview of what we’d be seeing up close later on that morning. Passing by the 15th-century pilgrimage church of St. Salvator, we see the Old Town Hall with its beautiful clock tower (right).
Below are the Baroque towers of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and we begin our walking tour in Passau on another cobbled walkway.
Artists’ Alley (The Höllgasse
) provides a great walk with colorful cobblestones that lead the way to art studios, shops and artists eager to share the inspiration behind their projects. The cobblestones are repainted every year, so your next visit may look a little different.
Since we try to bring home a little something locally-made from each trip, I wish we would have had more time to wander (and buy) something on this beautifully decorated alleyway. Instead I’ll just have to reminisce by rereading my blog from time to time.
The Oberhaus Museum is a dominating presence way up on the crest of St. Georgsberg mountain. A fortress founded in 1219, it is currently a museum, youth hostel, restaurant and has an open-air theatre dating to 1934. For an awesome photo of the museum with the St. Salvator church (above) in the foreground, click here.
Rebuilt in the 17th century after a fire, Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) has a large courtyard, shops and a beautiful clock tower. This courtyard is a great place to shop, grab a bite or a brew or just hang out and people-watch.
At the base of the tower are markings of flood levels over the years. As you’ll see – in 2013 the town had a devastating flood, but it’s only in second place for worst behind the one in 1501. “The City of Three Rivers” – while beautiful – has its disadvantages.
To the right of the flood stage markings is a small sign that lets you know what time to turn your attention to the tower. “In 1991, an automatic carillon with 23 bells was installed in the tower, which can also be played as a carillon since 2007.” In case you’re not sure what a carillon is, this will help: a set of bells in a tower, played using a keyboard or by an automatic mechanism similar to a piano roll.
Our walking tour continues past the ScharfrichterHaus (the executioner’s house). Using a sword… uh, I think you know what the executioner’s job is. Although the website is in German, the historic pictures are something. Built circa 1200 this national historical treasure is now a coffeehouse, a restaurant and a jazz and cabaret stage.
Massive doors and the ornamentation around them always fascinates me, and if you are looking to buy a house in Passau or the nearby area, there are some good ones available at Engel & Völkers.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
St. Stephen’s Cathedral (The Stephansdom) is dedicated to Saint Stephen and is the main church and seat of the Catholic Bishop of Passau. This beautiful Baroque church, built between 1668 and 1693, is only one of many churches on this site since 730. It was tough to get good photos of the outside standing so close and we were never in front to get a good overall photo, so I borrowed the top photo below, with permission of course. By Aconcagua – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The courtyard at the cathedral is pretty awesome with an interesting fountain, as well as some fabulous memorial plaques secured to its walls. Benches provide a nice spot to reminisce about the folks that have passed on, or maybe just a nice spot to sit after church. Sometimes I forget that this is not only a tourist attraction. Folks are actually members of this church and come here often – maybe every Sunday.
I can’t find much information on the courtyard or the name or significance of the fountain/statue and Jim and I can’t really remember much about the specifics. I think this is where one tour ended and another began and where that happens, there’s usually a little chaos.
Passau Organ Concert
The highlight of the day was getting inside to see the cathedral up close. One of my favorites of the entire trip, the interior was a magnificent work of art. All the things I may have said were over the top in other cathedrals on this trip, did not apply here (in my opinion), since it was so beautifully done.
Below is the high alter depicting the stoning of St. Stephen, and the pulpit covered in gilt, gleaming as the light shone upon it.
The frescos in the ceilings, the stucco decoration – even the cherubs were absolutely breathtaking.
The largest pipe organ in all of Europe, it inspired the 19th-century Hungarian composer – Franz Liszt – to write his “Hungarian Coronation Mass.” While the link will take you to a gorgeous rendition of the piece by the Liatoshinsky Chamber Choir & Orchestra, unfortunately it was not performed at Stephansdom.
They were on a strict schedule for the organ concert. We were to be seated at 11am sharp! With more than 17,000 pipes, they warned us that it would get loud and at times the song they played would become totally unrecognizable, but it was the setting more than the music that made this place so special, so wondrous, so moving.
After a short stroll thru town, we headed back to our ship for a short break before our next outing.
Wow! What a morning!
Next up: Schärding Town Visit
Happy trails,
Barb
🙂❤️
Beautiful!!!!