In Obernzell, you’ll find a Renaissance castle with a museum, a flat Danube promenade and art throughout the town. This combination offers different ways to shape your trip: architectural history and culture, paths along the river, or sports and leisure activities. When choosing your accommodation, it’s therefore helpful to decide first which side of the town you’d like to focus on during your stay.
Castle History and Danube Museum
The Bavarian Danube Region Museum in Obernzell Castle displays around 500 objects relating to the cultural history along the Danube across approximately 800 square metres; it opened on July 17, 2025. In the 16th century, Obernzell Castle was expanded from a simple fortress into a prestigious Renaissance castle. In the 17th century, it temporarily served as the seat of government for the Prince-Bishops of Passau because their residence had burned down.
The Knights’ Hall in Obernzell Castle features a richly appointed Renaissance interior, including a Renaissance ceiling, a frieze of popes, a wooden cornice decorated with maxims and a red marble fireplace. Its windows offer views of the Danube and the historic market town. A water feature at the castle also depicts the regional Danube and shows its course in the area of the market town of Obernzell.
Churches, Market Square and Art
The parish church of St. Mary’s Assumption in Obernzell is designed as a cruciform central-plan building. Its bright, spacious main room is crowned by a shallow dome. St. Margaret’s is the late Gothic former parish church, now used as a cemetery church. It was built in the Middle Ages and remodeled in the Baroque style in 1699. The historic market square also brings together different eras: its layout dates from the 13th century; in the 19th century, the square was redesigned in the Inn-Salzach style, which has been preserved to this day.
Discover the “Sculptures of Silence” on an art walk through Obernzell. Sculptures by artist Renate König-Schalinski stand in the castle garden, blending into the garden landscape and inviting visitors to view them. The garden also has a large open-air stage and serves as a venue for cultural events and celebrations such as concerts, markets and club festivals. Individual dates may vary; check the event calendar if you’d like to plan your stay around a concert, market or festival.
The Danube, Ferry and Outdoor Activities
The Obernzell Danube promenade is wide, well-developed, flat and paved. The path runs along the Danube, is accessible by stroller and wheelchair, and offers views of the river and its distinctive valley. The promenade is therefore an obvious choice if you’re looking for a flat, paved path by the water.
The Danube Valley Sports and Leisure Centre at Obernzell harbour offers activities including canoeing, water skiing, swimming, beach volleyball, tennis, curling, table tennis and football. The “Hafnerzell” Danube ferry provides a crossing between the landing stage on “Jochensteiner Straße” (district road) in Obernzell and “Nibelungen Straße” (B130) in the municipality of Vichtenstein in Upper Austria. It carries passengers, bicycles, cars, buses and lorries. Operating hours vary by season; check the timetable before making the crossing a fixed part of your plans.
The Danube-Moldau Cycle Path begins in the Danube Valley near Obernzell and follows the former cog railway line, climbing at a gradient of 6% to Untergriesbach. Take the stated gradient into account when choosing your route. As signposting may change, follow the current signs on site.
Discover more destinations: Erlau, Aldersbach, Haarbach, Vilshofen an der Donau, Neukirchen vorm Wald, Hauzenberg, Eging am See, Thyrnau.
For the overview of the wider region: Passau.
