Passau, University city at three rivers confluence in Lower Bavaria, Germany
Passau is a university city in Lower Bavaria where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers meet and divide the town into several districts. Each river carries a different color, which remains visible at the confluence before the waters gradually blend together.
From the Roman military post of Batavis grew a major religious center after Boniface founded the diocese in 739. For centuries the town controlled salt trade between Bohemia and Bavaria, which brought wealth and political influence.
Along the narrow lanes of the old town, cafés set their tables by the water where locals take afternoon coffee and watch cruise ships glide past. Market day brings residents together in the main square, where conversations unfold between stalls of fresh produce.
Cruise ships dock at several points along the Danube, from where the old town is reachable on foot. Steep stairs and cobblestone paths make comfortable shoes advisable for longer walks through the hilly center.
The cathedral organ includes more than 17,000 pipes and can be heard during daily concerts in summer. Local swordsmiths once stamped their blades with the wolf emblem, a mark soldiers trusted for protection in battle.
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