Passau

There is something indescribably beautiful about this country. Yesterday, I traveled to the beautiful town of Passau, in lower Bavaria. Also known as the "City of three rivers", Passau is where the Danube, Inn and Illz rivers all meet. Even though I have not had extensive traveling experience by any means, I feel as if this place could be one of my favorite destinations of all time. When walking down its narrow streets, one could get the feeling they were in Italy or France. The word "charming" does not do the town justice and I doubt that there is anyone who won't be enamored with its European flavor. The streets are lined with cafes and bistros and really anything you could need without it seeming overly touristy. It was also amazing to me that there could be so much history here. After walking a short distance down a narrow street, my friends decided to enter a church that seemed somewhat ordinary from the outside compared to what I was about to witness in its interior. When I entered, I was blown away at the frescoes, statues and gold that lit up this place. It was then I learned that I was in St. Stephens Cathedral. To be honest, the place had a spiritual effect on me and is one of the most breathtaking things I've ever seen.
In ancient Roman times, Passau was called "Batavis" where the ancient Germanic tribe, the Batavi, once dwelled. Apparently this tribe is quite popular with the classical authors.
During the Renaissance, Passau was the largest manufacturer of blades and swords in Germany. The swords became popularized by the symbol the smiths placed on them known as the Passau Wolf, a symbol mostly anyone who has taken a Renaissance history class would recognize. These swords are also the source of the "Passau Art" , the method in which magical charms were placed on them to protect the wielder from harm.
The city has a dark side as well. Aside from three side posts for a concentration camp, Passau was also the home of Adolf Hitler and his family from 1892-1894. Also, During the 1920s, Hitler was said to have made four rally speeches in Passau.
Today, the city consists of about 50,000 people, and is also the home to the University of Passau, a smaller University of about 10,000 students. Anyways, my writing skills or attention span cannot really do this place justice. If one ever has the chance to see this place, it will be well worth your while. There is a castle there that I did not get to see, I surely will be going back to have a closer look seeing that Passau is only a 25 minute ride from me in Deggendorf...google Passau to get the drift...thanks for reading.