Located at the confluence of three rivers—the Danube, Inn, and Ilz—Passau is well known for its ornate Baroque cathedral. Long ago, it was a Roman colony in the province of Noricum, called Batavis after an ancient Germanic tribe. Today, the city is unusually well preserved, having been spared the brunt of Allied bombing during WWII.
Our day began with a guided walk through Passau’s charming Medieval alleyways en route to Dom St. Stephan (St. Stephan’s Cathedral). The cathedral displays a delightful layer of Italian style on top of quintessential German foundations. This is because when the town burned to the ground in 1662 and again in 1680, reconstruction of the cathedral involved many Italian artists—artists who imparted a variety of Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical touches.
After visiting St. Stephan’s, we had a great view of the Rococo stairways of the Neue Residenz (New Residence) and learn why it is said that Baroque style “attempts to imitate heaven on earth.” We then walked along the Inn River until we reached the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers.
Below, you can see how these ships often dock tied up to each other side by side. The passengers simply walk through the lobby of the next ship. So much for security. :)
We didn’t see as many swans on the Danube as we did on the Rhine, but this one is wonderful. The Danube has a very strong current, which may deter the swans.
After lunch, we went on a bike tour along the river “Inn” . Although at times it was quite a challenge for me – lots of hills and a bike that I wasn’t comfortable on, it was a fabulous afternoon. Our 3 guides were excellent. We rode about 11 miles with a several stops, including a stop in a typical beer garden about half way through the ride. We rode from Passau to Austria and back.
So, we finished our ride .. about 11 miles on challenging ground, after a stop at the beer garden, and were happy to have finished with no injuries. :)
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