Viewpoint · Ilzstadt

Veste Oberhaus Fortress

High above the confluence of the Danube and the Ilz rises the Veste Oberhaus, one of the largest and best-preserved castle complexes in Europe. Built from 1219 by the prince-bishops of Passau, it served for centuries as a fortified symbol of power against the city's rising citizenry: from its walls the bishops could control the old town and the trade on the rivers. Across the eras the complex was steadily extended with bastions, courtyards, a chapel and residential wings, so that today visitors wander through an entire castle village of towers, gates and rings of walls.

Inside, the fortress houses the Oberhaus Museum with varied exhibitions on the city's history, on medieval Passau, on the salt trade and on the region. Changing special shows, a collection of armour and reconstructed old-town lanes make a visit especially lively for families. From the 'Batterie Linde' viewpoint opens Passau's most famous vista: the Baroque old town on its narrow tongue of land, framed by the green Inn, the broad Danube and the dark Ilz.

The fortress sits on the wooded Georgsberg hill above the Ilzstadt on the northern bank of the Danube. A shuttle bus brings visitors comfortably to the top, while more energetic guests climb the shady Ludwigsteig paths on foot - a walk rewarded by ever-changing views of the city and its rivers.

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