The Altstadt is built on a rocky spur of land formed by the confluence of the Inn and the Danube. To best appreciate its setting, cross the Danube to the Veste Oberhaus, St. Georg Berg 125, a medieval Episcopal fortress towering over the town and the river. Note how arches join many of the houses, giving them a unity of appearance. As you view the town, you can sense that the architecture here is more closely allied to northern Italy and the Tyrolean Alps than to cities to the north. The fortress houses a museum of regional history (tel. 0851/4933512), going back to medieval times. It's open March to November Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm. Admission is 5€ ($8) for adults, 4€ ($6.40) for children, and 10€ ($16) for a family ticket. Take the shuttle bus to the castle.
Dominating the town are the twin towers of the Dom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), Domplatz 9 (tel. 0851/39241; bus: City-Bus). The original Gothic plan is clear despite its 17th-century reconstruction in grand baroque style. Its most unusual feature is the octagonal dome over the intersection of the nave and transept. The interior of the cathedral is mainly Italian baroque -- almost gaudy, with its many decorations and paintings. Of particular interest is the choir, which remains from the Gothic period. A newer addition is a huge organ, said to be the largest church organ in the world, built in 1928 and placed in an 18th-century casing. Thirty-minute concerts are given May to October Monday to Saturday at noon; there's a second performance on Thursday at 7:30pm. The noon concerts cost 3.50€ ($5.60) for adults and 1€ ($1.60) for students and children 13 and under. The cost of the Thursday 7:30pm concert varies based on your seat, and runs 5€ to 8€ ($8-$13) for adults, 3€ to 4€ ($4.80-$6.40) for children. The Dom is open Monday to Saturday 8 to 11am and 12:30 to 6pm. Admission is free.
Below the cathedral, on the bank of the Danube, are the Marktplatz and the 13th-century Rathaus, with a facade decorated with painted murals depicting the history of the town. Inside, the huge knights' hall contains two large 19th-century frescoes illustrating incidents from the legend of the Nibelungen. The Town Hall has a Glockenspiel in its tower that plays at 10:30am, 2 and 7:25pm; on Saturday there's an additional performance at 3pm.
