Discover Deggendorf through its city history, handicrafts and the Danube. At the city museum, the permanent exhibition “We Are Deggendorf! The City – The River – The People” brings these themes together in its very title. Historic buildings, a closer look at regional crafts and routes through the riverside landscape offer different focal points for your stay.
City History at the Museum and Historic Buildings
The Deggendorf City Museum has presented its permanent exhibition since September 12, 2021. In the section “The City – The Heart of Deggendorf,” visitors can select notable buildings on a 3D model of the old town and examine them at a digital research station. Alongside an overview of the city, river and people, the exhibition also focuses on exploring individual buildings in detail.
Another way to discover the city’s history is through its buildings. The Old Town Hall was built in 1535, and its Gothic tower is one of Deggendorf’s landmarks. A roughly 30-metre-long section of the historic city wall, dating back to the 14th century, still remains. The town hall and the wall represent different traces of time: a dated town hall with a distinctive tower, and a section of the former fortifications.
Handicrafts as a Cultural Theme
Eight sections of the Handicrafts Museum offer an overview of the cultural history of regional crafts. The museum cinema complements the exhibitions with films about a range of skilled trades. If you are more interested in working methods and occupations than in urban planning or architectural history, you will find a distinct focus here.
Children and young people can also take part in hands-on activities: they can work in a workshop space with their school class or during a birthday party. The Handicrafts Museum is located in the heart of the city centre and is a short walk from the town square and shopping streets.
Danube Park and the Riverside Landscape
Deggendorf lies directly on the Danube. In Danube Park, you can walk along the river, watch ducks and enjoy the riverside landscape. This offers a different focus from the exhibitions: rather than buildings and the history of crafts, the emphasis here is on a walk by the water and observing the surroundings.
The scale of the river is also part of this landscape: the Danube is Europe’s second-longest river after the Volga, stretches 2,857 kilometres and flows into the Black Sea. In Danube Park, you can encounter a river that extends far beyond Deggendorf, while a walk and watching the ducks draw your attention to the local riverside landscape.
Hiking with a Clearly Named Destination
Circular Hiking Trail 2, “DEG – Cultural Quarter,” runs from Deggendorf’s Cultural Quarter via Perlasberg, Breitenberg and Simmling to Geiersberg Church and back to the Cultural Quarter.
The options for planning your day differ considerably: the city museum focuses on exhibitions and digital exploration, the handicrafts museum on the history of crafts and films, while Danube Park and the circular hiking trail offer outdoor activities. You can therefore choose what to focus on according to your interests, rather than treating the attractions as one fixed itinerary.
Getting There and Practical Information
Deggendorf is connected to a rail line by the Waldbahn. If you are planning to travel by train, check the current timetable for your travel dates. A farmers’ market is listed for Saturdays at Luitpoldplatz; check before your trip whether the current date suits your stay.
Discover more destinations: Schöllnach, Niederalteich, Winzer, Hengersberg, Metten, Auerbach, Osterhofen, Grattersdorf.
Go to the main travel overview: Deggendorf.
