Church · Innstadt

St Severin (Innstadt)

The small church of St Severin in the Innstadt is regarded as Passau's oldest place of worship and stands on exceptionally significant historical ground. As early as late antiquity, the Roman fort of Boiotro stood here on the southern bank of the Inn, a cornerstone of the frontier fortifications along the Danube Limes. In this very region, Saint Severin of Noricum worked in the 5th century as a missionary, mediator and helper of the suffering population during the turbulent years of the Migration Period, earning great renown — the church is dedicated to him.

The present building is Romanesque at its core and was later remodelled in the Gothic style; inside it preserves remarkable medieval wall paintings and a plain, dignified spatial impression. Unlike the ornate Baroque churches of the old town, St Severin breathes an almost meditative calm and leads the visitor back to the earliest, often overlooked layer of the city's history.

The historical thread can be followed right next door: the Roman Museum Kastell Boiotro displays exposed foundations, sections of wall and finds from the Roman fortifications. Church and museum thus combine into an impressive excursion into ancient Passau — a history-laden gem away from the great tourist crowds, quietly set at the foot of the Mariahilf hill in the Innstadt.