Advent markets
Every year from the end of November until Christmas, Passau Cathedral Square is transformed into a magical Christmas market. The scent of Christmas baking, hot punch and roasted almonds fills the air. The old town and shopping streets are decorated with festive lights and put the city in a Christmassy mood.

We recommend a visit to the following Advent market:
 Cathedral Square

The first Celtic settlement was located on the old town hill in the La Tène period with a Danube harbour at the level of today's old town hall. The Roman fort Batavis (Castra Batava) was built on the site of today's cathedral as part of the Limes fortifications. The name ‘Batavis’ is derived from the Germanic mercenaries from the Batavian tribe who were initially stationed there. Today's name ‘Passau’ developed from Batavis. The town was repeatedly hit by floods and major fires. In 1662, for example, a fire reduced the entire city to ashes. Italian master builders (Carlone and Lurago) then rebuilt the city and gave it its current southern Baroque appearance. The first Passau newspaper was published in 1689. In 1927, the Danube power station Kachlet, which was the largest power station in Germany at the time, was connected to the grid. Construction work began in 1922 and is said to have been the largest construction site in Europe, employing around 3,000 workers at peak times. In May and June 2013, the city experienced the worst flooding in five hundred years when the Passau/Danube water level reached the historic mark of 12.89 metres. The drinking water supply had to be temporarily suspended and teaching at schools and the university was cancelled. During and especially after the flood disaster, the dedicated help of Passau's university students deserves special mention. The Facebook initiative ‘Passau Cleans Up’, which was founded and managed by the students, was honoured with the German Citizens' Award in 2013.

Top sights

• St Stephen's Cathedral: considered the largest baroque church building north of the Alps; the organ is the largest of its kind in the world with 17,974 pipes (233 stops)! Concerts from May to October daily except Sunday/holidays at 12 noon.
• Study Church: baroque church of the Jesuits, dedicated to St Michael; close to the Residence, only visible from the main entrance. The lightness of the church interior is unique.
• (New) Residence: behind the cathedral; the right-hand (cathedral-side) staircase in rococo style is unique. The Cathedral Treasury and Diocesan Museum (accessible through the cathedral) is open daily except Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm; admission.
• Town Hall: colossal paintings from the 19th century, admission.
• Veste Oberhaus: can be reached by bike to the staircase (Angerstraße near Luitpoldbrücke) in approx. 10 minutes including walking time; bishop's defence castle built in 1219 with Bohemian Forest Museum (admission) and magnificent panoramic view: Veste Niederhaus below.
• City theatre: on the Innkai below the residence; early classicist style from 1793. Also worth seeing: the Glass Museum near the Danube, Museum of Modern Art, Niederburg Monastery with the tomb of St. Gisela (wife of the Hungarian King Stephen, who ordered the Magyars to convert to Christianity).