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Published: August 30th 2013
Passau is known as the "City of three rivers" because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north. A couple of months ago, in early June, due to heavy rains, the rivers flooded the old town of Passau to a level not seen for 542 years. The lower 2 floors of our hotel, which faces the Danube, were flooded as were all the other buildings beside the rivers as well as in adjacent streets. As we walked along the streets we saw windows wide open to dry out rooms that had been completely under water. Garages were also all left open so that wet surfaces could dry out. We saw businesses with ruined equipment through windows, but we also saw a lot of work being done to restore buildings. The smell of dampness fills your nostrils as you walk the cobbled streets near the rivers. I asked a local whether most businesses/dwellings were mostly covered by insurance but she said that the price of insuring against flood was so expensive that most people hadn't bothered.
Passau is a beautiful town to wander around because of its baroque buildings and its
narrow and winding little streets and alley-ways. Our hotel is on the 4th floor and overlooks the Danube and the many cruise ships that tour here. We also have a fine view of the Fortress "Veste Oberhaus" on the hill on the opposite bank. It was built in 1219 in order to control commerce across the rivers. Later it became a stronghold against the Austrians.
We passed through St. Steven's Cathedral which is located on the old town's highest point - heard the bells chime for about 10 minutes at 12 noon. Saw the huge baroque interior and the organ which boasts 17974 organ pipes - it is said to be the world's largest cathedral organ. A half hour lunchtime organ concert is held at 12.00 noon and people with vouchers from cruises were streaming in. We walked through and sat in the courtyard listening to the bells ringing instead! Then we went for a leisurely stroll along the Danube to the area where the 3 rivers join. The weather was perfectly sunny!
My favourite visit in Passau was to the Glass-Museum. I have never seen such a wonderful collection of glass objects. The collection includes pieces manufactured
in Europe between 1650-1950. Works by famous and world-renowned artists, designers, glassworks, glass refineries and glass grafting institutions, especially from Silesia, Bohemia and Bavaria, are represented in this magnificent museum. The Museum has 30,000 exhibits on 5 floors and the objects have been arranged beautifully behind glass cabinets. The only area where it could be improved is in the labelling of the pieces. The founders of the Museum are Georg and Cente Hoitl who made their first purchase in 1959 of a Mesopotamian glass container!
Another enjoyable activity in Passau for us was dining in a family run fish restaurant. It was a nice change from the typical meat dishes that dominate most restaurant menus in Germany! I also found a Reike shoe shop where I purchased some cool "anti-stress" red sneakers. Now I have to find room in my suitcase to fit them!!
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