Current Time in Passau, Germany

Passau is a historic city in southeastern Bavaria, Germany, situated at the extraordinary confluence of three rivers: the Danube, the Inn, and the Ilz, which meet at the tip of a narrow peninsula forming the old town. This exceptional geographical position, where three rivers of very different characters and colors — the blue-green Inn from the Alps, the dark Ilz from the Bavarian Forest, and the wide Danube from the west — converge in a dramatic natural theater, has made Passau one of the most visually striking cities in Germany and earned it the nickname "Three Rivers City."

With a population of approximately 52,000, Passau is a relatively small city whose beauty, historical significance, and UNESCO-adjacent heritage (it is not inscribed but often described as deserving recognition) attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The city is also an important node on the EuroVelo 6 cycling route following the Danube, and serves as the starting or finishing point for many cyclists undertaking the famous Danube Cycling Route to Vienna and Budapest.

The history of Passau extends back to the Roman fort of Castra Batava, established on the peninsula around 70 AD. In the medieval period Passau became the seat of one of the most powerful bishoprics in the Holy Roman Empire, the Diocese of Passau, which at its medieval greatest extent encompassed a vast territory stretching all the way to Vienna and made the Prince-Bishops of Passau some of the most influential ecclesiastical rulers in Bavaria. It was this wealth and power that built the baroque masterpieces that give the old town its extraordinary character.

The Cathedral of Saint Stephen (Dom St. Stephan) is Passau's supreme architectural achievement and one of the most important baroque churches in German-speaking Europe. The cathedral was largely rebuilt in the Italian baroque style after a fire in 1662, and the resulting interior is one of the most lavishly decorated in Germany, its vaulted ceilings covered with frescos and stucco ornamentation of extraordinary richness. The cathedral organ, with 17,974 pipes and 233 registers, is the largest cathedral organ in the world, and the daily midday organ concerts held in summer draw music lovers from across Europe to hear its extraordinary sound fill the baroque nave.

The Veste Oberhaus, a massive episcopal fortress built on a rock above the confluence in 1219, dominates the city from its commanding position and now houses a comprehensive museum of the city's history and art. The views from the fortress over the three rivers confluence, the baroque domes and towers of the old town, and the surrounding wooded hills are among the most dramatic urban panoramas in Bavaria. The old town peninsula, with its Italianate baroque palaces, the Rathaus with its distinctive tower, and the narrow streets packed with restaurants and shops, has an atmosphere closer to an Italian city than a German one.

The Danube landscape between Passau and the Austrian border is one of the most beautiful stretches of the river, with the Schlögener Schlinge (loop of the Danube) providing an extraordinary natural spectacle as the river makes a dramatic horseshoe bend through forested gorges. The Inn-Salzach region and the Bavarian Forest National Park to the north offer additional natural attractions. The German Customs Museum in the city center is a unique institution exploring the history of customs and border control that reflects Passau's historic position as a border and transit city.

Passau is connected by rail to Munich (approximately two hours), Vienna, and Regensburg. The combination of its extraordinary three-rivers confluence, magnificent baroque cathedral with the world's largest cathedral organ, dramatic fortress, charming Italian-influenced old town, and position on the Danube cycling route make Passau one of the most scenic and musically rewarding cities in Bavaria.