Passau: Town Hiking Trail from Nature to Culture

Starting place in the three-rivers town (Danube, Inn and Ilz) is the Italian Baroque St. Stephen's Cathedral, which holds the world’s biggest cathedral organ with almost 18,000 pipes. This cathedral is the biggest building of Italian masters north of the Alps. We continue past the new residence of the bishop, where a majestic Rococo staircase can be admired. The way leads to Rathausplatz square past Residenzplatz square.   In the Rathaussäle halls large history paintings tell of the town's history and the Nibelungen legend. We hike across Römerplatz square and the suspension bridge to access the parapet walk to Veste Oberhaus Fortress. The former castle used to be the residence of the sovereigns (prince-bishops of the clerical principality of Passau) and holds now the Cultural History Museum. From Oberhaus a hiking trail leads down to the valley and along Ilz River one gets to the former country of Hals that used to be in the centre of the principality of Passau. The romantic Ilz River winds its way around the Hals Castle Ruins. In Hals one crosses the bridge across Ilz River and returns back to the old town of Passau and Rathausplatz square on the northern bank of Ilz River.