District

Innstadt

The Innstadt lies on the left bank of the Inn, directly opposite the Old Town peninsula, and is considered the oldest settled part of Passau. The Romans built the Boiotro fort here, whose foundations can be seen today in the Roman Museum by the Severinstor gate. In St Severin the quarter holds the city's oldest church — a quiet witness to early Christian history that recalls Saint Severin of Noricum, who was active here in the 5th century.

The face of the Innstadt, however, is shaped above all by the baroque Mariahilf pilgrimage church, which gleams brightly on the Mariahilf hill above the rooftops. Pilgrims and walkers climb to it via the famous covered stairway of 321 steps, many traditionally praying their way up step by step. At the top, one of the finest views over the City of Three Rivers awaits: the cathedral towers, the Danube and the interplay of the rivers lie at your feet.

Along the Inn promenade, old townhouse stands beside old townhouse, with cosy inns and quiet squares in between. Compared with the bustle of the Old Town, the Innstadt feels down-to-earth and relaxed — a tradition-rich counterpart conveniently linked to the centre by the Marien bridge and the Inn bridge.