At the tip of a rocky promontory directly at the confluence of the Ilz and Danube rivers rises Veste Niederhaus Castle in Passau’s old town. It belongs together with Veste Oberhaus, which is enthroned above it. Both castles were built in the 13th century to protect the salt trade and were an expression of Passau’s wealth at that time. Initially, a distinction was only made between the “old” and the “new” castle, but in the 14th century the names “Veste Oberhaus” and “Veste Niederhaus” appeared. The two castles are connected by a double battlement. The Niederhaus cannot be visited as it has been privately owned for several centuries.
