Veste Oberhaus is a fortress on the left side of the river Danube, opposite the right side Old Town of Passau. Founded in 1219, it was for most of the castle and residence of the Prince Bishop of the Bishopric of Passau. The highly visible inscription in 1499 on the facade shows only one model year to 1800 again extended the castle. History The construction of the Veste Oberhaus on the St. George's mountain over Passau dated to the year 1219. It was built by the first Passau Prince Bishop Ulrich II. To an existing George's Chapel. The castle should be an expression of military power and at the same time support for the 1217 became the Imperial Prince Bishops of Passau. Furthermore, they should serve as protection against external and internal enemies, including against citizens of Passau, who wanted to build an imperial city.

Due to the ongoing siege technology, the fortress was steadily expanded over the centuries and expanded, so it offers the possibility to study the art of fortification from the 13th to the 19th century. The major reconstruction took place under the Prince Bishops of Layming Leonhard, Christoph von Schachner, Urban separation of Bach and Johann Philipp von Lamberg. They built the fortress of a Gothic fortress, a royal residence in the early Renaissance, a "Festen High Castle" and finally, from in times of Turkish threat to a representative state fortress.

The Veste Oberhaus underwent five sieges 1250-1482, which were all unsuccessful. Twice, in 1298 and 1367 it was the citizens of Passau, who tried to rise up against the bishop.

Between 1535 and 1540 the fortress numerous adherents of the Reformation Anabaptist movement were imprisoned for their beliefs in prison. During her detention the paragon (Hymns), a hymnal, which is still used in the services of the Amish originated. Some of the songs poet died in the prison time, many suffered following the prison stay martyred.

With the secularization 1802 Bishop lost possession. Napoleon I used the fortress in his campaign against Austria. It was released to the allies Bavaria as a border fortress against Austria. 1805 was the fortress of the Austrian army. After the Congress of Vienna it was used for nearly a century by the Bavarian army both as a fortress and from 1822 as a state prison for political prisoners and as a military prison. Until 1918, the Veste upper house was thus the dreaded "Bastille Bavaria".

The city of Passau came in 1932 in the possession of the facility and established the Oberhaus Museum.

Quelle: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veste_Oberhaus