It takes a good walker about three hours to get from the town centre (305 m above sea-level) to the town's highest point, the Breitenauer Riegel, which is 1114 m above sea-level. Scarcely any other German town or city can claim to have such an enormous difference in altitude. Deggendorf is the "starting point" of one of Central Europe's most magnificent stretches of countryside. You will find all sorts of things to do here, at the point where the Bavarian Forest comes right down to the Danube - you can go walking, or elese cycle to clear mountain lakes in summer, or have fun skiing in winter, choosing between the cross-country or downhill varieties. Just as you like.
The people of Deggendorf are gregaroius types who enjoy all sorts of special occasions, and it's impressive what Deggendorf has to offer in the way of drama, concerts, cabaret or exhibitions. The celebrations are particularly elaborate during the street festival that takes place in the town centre and in the Cultural Centre - this is the town's largest festival and it attracts 100,000 visitors - or during the traditional fair in springtime. Art and culture can also be enjoyed during the Town Hall Music Festival, the Bavarian Dialect Festival, the Cabaret Weeks, to mention just a few of the numerous events.
In addition to the many conferences that take place in it, Deggendorf's Municipal Centre offers an outstanding programme of entertainment, ranging from plays, musicals, classical music, operettas and Vavarian music to rock and pop concernts, jazz political revues and children's theatre. Deggendorf has not only attractive shops or all kinds but also a great variety of eating places. Inns and restaurants of long standing that cater for modern demands, too, offer all sorts of culinary delights; whether you prefer tasty Bavarian specialities, modern German cuisine or international dishes, there's something here for everybody.
Apart from having a beautiful setting, Deggendorf has numerous historic buildings and sights. Despite all the rebuilding and modernising work that has been carried out, the visitor can still make out the ancient "pear-shaped" layout of the town, which dates far back into the dedieval period. In the middle of the wide market- place that runs right throught the old town centre, there is an impessive town hall with a lofty Gothic tower dating from about 1380. Remnants of the medieval town fortifications are still visible in the form of a section of the old town wall with a walkway along the top of the battlements. many of the large houses that once belonged to Deggendorf's wealthier citizens are now listed buildings. The elaborate facades and splendid stucco work convey a vivid idea of what the town looked like in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The two main churches, the Parish Church - dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin mary - and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, dominate the town's skyline, together with the tower of the Town Hall.
As a result of Deggendorf's centrl location between the Danube and the Bavarian Forest, trade and culture flourished here from earliest times. In the decades when Germany was divided, however, the town found itself in an isolated position on the fringes of the country. Today it is beginning to regain its importance. Now that the Iron Curtain has disappeared, Deggendorf can once more benefit from its favourable location. It has excellent access to the national motorway network and Munich's Franz Josef Strauss Internation Airport it not far away, either; in fact, it takes less time to get to the airport from Deggendorf than from Munich! As a gateway to Eastern Europe, this ancient centre of trade and commerce can offer new opportunities. But that isn't all. Having such a variety of cultural and scenic advantages, Deggendorf is the sort of place where it's good to live, work and relax.
Allow yourself to be tempted! Visit Deggendorf's Cultural Centre! You'll be surprised by the variety of interesting things to see there. Grouped together right in the heart of Deggendorf, you'll find four municipal institutions - the museum, the craft museum, the Kapuzinerstadl and the library. Together they give a fascinating insight into history, art and literature.
Kultur- and Verkehrsamt Deggendorf
Oberer Stadtplatz
94469 Deggendorf
Telephone 0991/2960-169, 172, 199
Telefax 0991/31586
More information is available at www.degnet.baynet.de