My Passau Photo Tour

On New Year’s Eve 2021 the time had finally come, my Nikon D600 was ready for my tour through the enchanting old town of Passau in glorious sunshine and unbelievable 12 degrees Celsius. Passau is located on three rivers, the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz. The city of Passau is built in the baroque style and has always been a magnet for traders and travelers.

The contorted and narrow alleys and the baroque squares fascinated me from the first moment. No wonder Passau is called the “Bavarian Venice”.

The old town

Passau, the picturesque university town, on the border with Austria, is certainly not a metropolis with just over 50,000 inhabitants, and yet the Lower Bavarian pearl has several superlatives to offer.

With the Danube, Inn and Ilz, which flow together here from different directions, Passau is the only three-river city in Germany. However, extreme rainfall can also lead to severe flooding from time to time (see flood of the century 2013, travelsignpost and euronews).

The History

In the 17th century, Italian master builders created the baroque old town, which is dominated by the imposing St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its characteristic onion domes. The cathedral will also impress you with the largest church organ in the world. But this is only one good reason to visit Passau for a photo tour.

In addition to the cathedral and the narrow streets with their colorful houses, the New Residence with its beautiful fountain on the forecourt proves to be a baroque gem. But the beautiful Old Town Hall also bears witness to the mastery of the baroque master builders.

The Veste Oberhaus towers above the town, a 13th-century fortress with a museum and observation tower. A fantastic view of Passau’s old town will surprise you.

Did you know that Passau was not part of Bavaria for a long time?

For many centuries the city was an independent prince bishopric. The period as an independent principality ended in December 1802 with secularisation, which brought it to the Electorate of Salzburg for three years and then to Bavaria in 1805.

My tip for the stomach

After my photo tour of several hours through the beautiful old town, I also wanted to do something for my physical well-being. My recommendation for you is the HIGH THAI – Authentic Thai Cuisine restaurant . For a brief moment you escape the cold German winter weather. An absolute dream of the finest Thai cuisine awaits you.

Finally, two photo location tips for you:

Photo tip 1: The Innkai view

Photo tip 2: View of the old town

Photo tip 1: The Innkai view

The Innkai connects the three-river corner with the Inn promenade and is Passau’s most popular promenade and invites you to linger when the weather is nice. A very popular photo motif is the Schaiblingsturm, the round tower with the pointed roof is one of the landmarks of Passau and offers high-contrast motifs from both sides.

Photo tip 2: The view of the old town

The view from the Innstadt, the only part of the city that lies to the right of the Inn, across to the old town is enchanting.

The colorful old town houses, church towers, the magnificent cathedral, the green waters of the Inn and behind it the Veste Oberhaus. Rarely do you have so many sights and striking buildings in view at once.

Tips for the perfect photo:

• The colors of the Innkai are particularly beautiful in the warm evening light.
• Reflecting lights of the illuminated old town in the Inn, the city in the soft twilight or night shots of the old town are a tip for all those who are familiar with long exposure.

Stay Fascinated!

Yours, Sandra Sachsenhauser