Why Straubing
Straubing is an independent city situated in Lower Bavaria in southern Germany. Positioned along the Danube, the city functions as the central hub of the surrounding Gäuboden region. It is well known for hosting the Gäubodenvolksfest each August, which stands as the second-largest traditional fair in Bavaria.
Human settlement in the Straubing area dates back continuously to the Neolithic era. Roman conquest between 16 and 14 BC established the military post of Sorviodurum, initiating four centuries of Roman presence. Following the decline of the Roman Empire, the local Bavarii settled around the ninth-century St. Peter's Church, naming their community after their leader Strupinga. Duke Ludwig I Wittelsbach of Bavaria established a new town district in 1218, which later served as the capital of the Duchy of Bavaria-Straubing under Duke Wilhelm I in 1349. Ownership passed to Duke Ernest of Bavaria-Munich in 1429, who ordered the execution of Agnes Bernauer. Straubing endured a Swedish siege in 1633 during the Thirty Years' War, aerial bombings in 1944 and 1945, and a major fire in November 2016 that heavily damaged its medieval city hall.
The historical heart of Straubing retains a medieval character featuring Gothic architectural landmarks, alongside modern shops, offices, dining establishments, and a pedestrian zone. Notable attractions include the fourteenth-century ducal castle (Herzogsschloss), the Gothic City Tower started in 1316, and the large Gothic Basilica of St. Jacob designed by Hans von Burghausen. Visitors can also explore the Romanesque St. Peter's Church, which houses a chapel erected by Duke Ernest and an adjacent graveyard, as well as the Carmelite monastery and church, the Church of St. Ursula created by the Asam brothers, the Church of St. Vitus, and the Sossau pilgrimage church. Centrally located on Theresien Square is the Baroque Trinity Column.
Cultural experiences in Straubing include the Gäubodenmuseum, which displays the famous Roman treasure excavated in 1950. The city hosts numerous annual and periodic events, such as the spring Frühlingsfest, the biennial Bürgerfest, the bluetone jazz festival, and the historical Agnes-Bernauer-Festspiele play. Families can visit the Straubing Zoo, recognized as the sole zoo in Eastern Bavaria.
Modern Straubing is a center for high-tech biotechnology and renewable resources, housing a campus of the Technical University of Munich and a Fraunhofer Institute. Transportation and commerce are supported by industrial districts and a Danube port providing passage to the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, connecting the North Sea to the Black Sea.
01 Weather
56°
56°
70°
55°
70°
55°
71°
52°
64°
52°
☔ 29%
61°
48°