Landshut: Renaissance, Art and the Isar Cycle Path

Landshut combines an impressive historic cityscape with distinctive places for art and culture. The grand streets of the Old Town and New Town are linked by narrow lanes; at Trausnitz Castle, the Fool’s Staircase, with its monumental painted scenes, leads into the world of the Italian Commedia dell’arte. The City Residence and the underground KOENIGmuseum also add their own distinctive touches. This lets you shape your explorations around the subjects that interest you most.

Cityscape and Renaissance architecture

The well-preserved historic cityscape offers a glimpse of medieval life. The Old Town and New Town are defined by their grand streets, while the narrow lanes connecting them create a different sense of scale. This contrast makes the city’s history tangible not only through individual buildings, but also through the interplay of its streets and spaces.

The Landshut City Residence is a special destination for anyone interested in architecture: an Italian Renaissance palace of great significance in art and architectural history. It comprises the German Building and the Italian Building, which are connected by wings. Construction of the Italian Building began in 1537 under the direction of Italian master builders. Its lofty vaulted halls, with Italian-style stucco and painted picture cycles, bring together a range of subjects: the paintings depict biblical, mythological and historical themes. Compared with the streets and lanes of the Old Town, the City Residence’s architectural and painted details reveal another side of the Renaissance.

Places of art and stories

At Trausnitz Castle, two different perspectives on history and art come together. The Fool’s Staircase features monumental painted scenes from the Italian Commedia dell’arte. The Ladies’ Wing houses the “Art and Curiosity Cabinet,” a branch museum of the Bavarian National Museum. It recalls the Wittelsbach dukes’ tradition of collecting. Together, these places represent different ways of engaging with art: through narrative scenes on the one hand and the historical tradition of collecting on the other.

The KOENIGmuseum in Hofberg offers another perspective. This underground sculpture museum houses a collection of works by Fritz Koenig, which the artist donated during his lifetime. Guided tours and creative workshops explore his life and work. Informative and entertaining city tours also cover Landshut’s architecture, history, residents, wealth, and art and cultural treasures. This gives you a range of themes to build your trip around: individual artists and collections, major buildings, or the city’s history in a broader context.

Cycling and exploring the city

Cycling can also shape your stay: Landshut lies directly on the Isar Cycle Path. If you are looking for accommodation, you can first consider whether architecture and museums or cycling will be the main focus of your trip. Your interests can help guide your accommodation search, but they are no substitute for checking the specific options available. For a mix of city culture and activity, the sights mentioned above and the cycle path offer different themes to consider side by side when planning your trip.

Getting here and regional routes

Landshut has direct train connections from the direction of Munich, Regensburg and Mühldorf am Inn. From Munich, the city is accessible by car via the A92 and B11. When planning your trip, you can match these travel options with the focus of your stay and look for suitable accommodation in Landshut.

The wider Landshut destination also offers routes with a range of different characteristics. The Landshut Höhenwanderweg is around 50 kilometres long and runs through the gentle hills of Lower Bavaria. The Time Trails are themed routes through the Isar, Vils and Laaber valleys. While the Höhenwanderweg’s approximate total length provides a guide to a longer hiking route, the Time Trails explore their themes along three valleys. These regional options complement the cultural and urban experiences with a distinct perspective of their own.

Discover more destinations: Vilsbiburg, Hohenthann, Geisenhausen, Velden, Obersüßbach, Buch Am Erlbach, Ergoldsbach, Gerzen.

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