Cobblestone under foot, we wandered through the twisting alleys of Old Town Passau. Germany’s Altstadt Passau sits near the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers. Here, we ambled along a maze of narrow passageways lined with buildings of Baroque and Gothic architecture.
Old Town Hall of Passau
As we rounded the corner, we found ourselves facing Passau’s Old Town Hall. Known by locals as Altes Rathaus, this impressive Neo-Gothic building dates back to the 14th century. This is also where you’ll find Bavaria’s largest glockenspiel clock. Standing outside, we admired a series of ornate paintings depicting local legends on the facade.
Strong Catholic Influence
Because the majority of people in Passau practice Catholicism, we found grand Catholic churches on nearly every corner. According to a local resident, this single city has over 50 churches! Much to my surprise, I also learned that the government supports the upkeep for the majority of these churches directly. Germany does not practice separation between church and state.
Here’s a look into one of the churches we passed along the way:
Snacks at Stephen’s Cafe DOM
After wandering around Old Town, we stopped at Stephen’s Cafe DOM for a mid-day treat. With wide eyes, I surveyed the decadent assortment of cakes, pies and pastries. Oh. My. Goodness.
We sat down on a pair of plush tuffets and perused the menu. I quickly decided to order a tall glass of iced coffee. Now, I hear what you’re thinking. Why in the world would I order a benign iced coffee drink in the face of all of these delicious baked goods?
Let me dispel that myth right away!
German Eiskaffee takes coffee to the next level. This awesome coffee drink brings cold coffee together with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, freshly whipped cream, chocolate syrup AND a tasty wafer cookie. If you like coffee and ice cream, you should add this incredible coffee drink to your bucket list. When I look back on my trip to Passau, this guilt-laden iced coffee drink stands out. See for yourself!
St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Passau
Now energized by a rush of caffeine and sugar, we sauntered over to St. Stephen’s to take in a concert performed my a master organist on their world famous pipe organ. Taking a seat towards the back, we admired the architectural detail in this fine cathedral built in 1682.
Within the walls of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, you’ll find Europe’s largest pipe organ. A barrage of sound enveloped us as the master organist engaged the organ’s incredible 17,774 pipes, 223 registers and four chimes.
Bavarian Dinner on the Danube
Once we had our fill of heavenly music, we wrapped up our day with a little shopping and a three course Bavarian dinner on the Danube River in Passau.
Now that we’ve had a chance to visit Passau, join our next stop on this European adventure–Cesky Krumlov!
