Passau Veste Oberhaus, Headquarter

In 1193, the area north of Passau and east of the Ilz river, formerly belonging to the Niedernburg Abbey, fell into the hands of the bishop of Passau.

From that time on it was an essential part of his secular influence and of the later Bishopric of Passau. In the following period the bishop secured the country with a series of castles and ministerial seats. Episcopal castles included Wolfstein, Fürsteneck, Freudensee, Jochenstein and Obernzell.

Since 1219 the Veste Oberhaus in Passau was the main seat of the bishop’s castles. From the “Upper House” (=”Oberhaus”) lead a direct connection to the “Lower House” (=“Niederhaus”). The palaces at the outer corner of the old town of Passau in Eggendobl and Hacklberg were in immediate vicinity.