Landshut - Wikiwand

Landshut (German: [ˈlantshuːt] ^ⓘ;^[3] Bavarian: Landshuad) is a town in Bavaria, Germany, on the banks of the River Isar. Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria, and the seat of the surrounding district. With a population of more than 75,000, Landshut is the largest city in Lower Bavaria.^{[citation needed]}

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Quick facts Country, State ...

Landshut
Town
Landshut sights with St. Martin's Church and Trausnitz Castle
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Landshut
Landshut Show map of Germany Landshut Show map of Bavaria
Coordinates: 48°32′23″N 12°09′03″E
Country	Germany
State	Bavaria
Admin. region	Lower Bavaria
District	Urban district
Founded	1204
Government
• Lord mayor (2020–26)	Alexander Putz^[1] (CSU)
Area
• Total	65.7 km² (25.4 sq mi)
Elevation	445 m (1,460 ft)
Population (2024-12-31)^[2]
• Total	71,863
• Density	1,100/km² (2,800/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	84001-84036
Dialling codes	0871
Vehicle registration	LA
Website	www.landshut.de

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Geography

Landshut lies in the Alpine foothills. The River Isar runs through the city and splits in two in the city centre. Most of the built-up area lies on the flat terraced deposits of the river. The Isar divides the town into three areas: the northern part above the river belongs to the Isar-Danube hill country, the Mühleninsel in the city centre lies between both arms of the Isar, and the southern part below the river belongs to the Isar-Inn hill country. The southern part of the town is delimited by a chain of hills, some of which rise steeply, of which the Hofberg, where the Trausnitz Castle is located, forms the highest point in the city area at a height of 505 meters above sea level.

Landshut is situated between Munich (70 kilometers southwest) and Regensburg (70 kilometers to the north). Other nearby towns are Straubing (75 km northeast), Deggendorf (75 km to the east), and Passau at the German-Austrian border (120 km to the east). The town's spread is limited to the north by Ergolding, to the northwest by Altdorf, and to the south by Kumhausen. The three smaller towns join Landshut to form a built-up area of around 100,000 people but are not incorporated into Landshut proper.

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History

Summarize

Perspective

The town and Trausnitz Castle were founded in 1204 by Duke Louis I, when a settlement developed around the castle. Landshut was a Wittelsbach residence by 1231, and in 1255, when the duchy of Bavaria was split in two, Landshut also became the capital of Lower Bavaria. Duke Henry XVI was the first of the three 'rich dukes' who ruled Bayern-Landshut in the 15th century. The wedding of Duke George with the Polish Princess Royal Jadwiga Jagiellon in 1475 was celebrated in Landshut with one of the most splendid festivals of the Middle Ages (Landshut Wedding). After his death and the Landshut War of Succession, Bavaria-Landshut was reunited with Bavaria-Munich.

Between 1537 and 1543, after his visit to Italy, Louis X, Duke of Bavaria built the Landshut Residence, the first Renaissance palace constructed north of the Alps. It was modeled after Palazzo Te in Mantua. William V, Duke of Bavaria ordered to upgrade Trausnitz Castle from a gothic fortification into a Renaissance complex when he lived in Landshut as crown prince for ten years until 1579. Afterwards, Landshut lost most of its importance until the University of Ingolstadt was moved to Landshut in 1800. However, in 1826 the university was transferred to Munich.

During the Thirty Years' War, the city was thrice (1632, 1634 and 1648) taken and plundered by Swedish forces.^[4]

Napoleon fought and won the Battle of Landshut in 1809 against an Austrian army as part of the War of the Fifth Coalition.

During World War I, a prisoner of war camp existed in Landshut. American ace James Norman Hall spent his captivity at the camp.

During World War II, a subcamp of Dachau concentration camp was located in the city to provide slave labour for local industry. The city was taken by US troops on 29 April 1945.

The U.S. Army maintained facilities in Landshut, including Pinder Kaserne and a dependent housing area, until 1968.

Since the opening of Munich Airport close to Landshut in 1992, the town has become an attractive business location.

A panoramic view of Landshut

Quick facts

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Notable sites

The town is of architectural importance because of its predominantly Gothic architecture within the historic town centre, especially Trausnitz Castle and the Church of Saint Martin featuring the world's tallest church brick tower. Among other Gothic architecture are the churches of St. Jodok and Holy Spirit, but also the Town Hall and the Ländtor, the only still existing gate of the medieval fortification.

Landshut is known for a festival celebrated every four years called the Landshuter Hochzeit, commemorating the 1475 marriage of George of Bavaria and Jadwiga Jagiellon.

The Renaissance era produced in particular the decorated inner courtyard of the Trausnitz Castle and the ducal Landshut Residence in the inner town. Baroque churches are represented by the Jesuit church St. Ignatius, the Dominican church St. Blasius and the church St. Joseph. Also, the medieval churches of the Seligenthal convent and of the Cistercians were redesigned in baroque style. Many old middle-class houses of the past in the Old Town still represent the history of the town from the Gothic times to the Neo-Classicism.

Sport

This section does not cite any sources. (August 2025)

The ice hockey team EV Landshut plays in the Second Division.

The motorcycle speedway team Landshut Devils is based at the Ellermühle Speedway Stadium.

The local association football team is SpVgg Landshut.

Twin towns – sister cities

Landshut is twinned with:^[5]

Elgin, Scotland, United Kingdom (1956), the Landshut Bridge in Elgin is named after Landshut
Compiègne, France (1962)
Ried im Innkreis, Austria (1974)
Schio, Italy (1981)
Sibiu, Romania (2002)

Notable people

Before 1920

Ulrich Füetrer (born before 1450; died around 1493 and 1502), poet and painter
Ludwig Feuerbach (1804–1872), philosopher
Friedrich Feuerbach (1806–1880), philologist and philosopher
Gustav Tiedemann (1808–1849), officer
Carl du Prel (1839–1899), philosopher, writer and occultist
Karl Tanera (1849–1904), officer of the Bavarian Army and author
Max Slevogt (1868–1932), painter, graphician
Otto Kissenberth (1893–1919), fighter pilot in World War I
Hermann Erhardt (1903–1958), actor
Max Schäfer (1907–1990), football player and manager
Marlene Neubauer-Woerner (1918–2010), sculptor

1920–present

Marlene Reidel (1923–2014), illustrator
Josef Deimer (born 1936), politician and Lord mayor of Landshut from 1970–2014
Roman Herzog (1934–2017), politician (CDU), President of Germany from 1994 to 1999, then Honorary Citizen as well
Klaus Auhuber (born 1951), ice hockey player
Gerhard Tausche (born 1958), archivist and author
Gerd Truntschka (born 1958), ice hockey player
Martin Bayerstorfer (born 1966), politician
Alex Holzwarth (born 1968), drummer
Wolfgang Stark (born 1969), football referee
Markus Brunnermeier (born 1969), financial economist
Annette Dytrt (born 1983), figure skater

Honorary citizens

Hans Leinberger (1475/1480 – after 1531), sculptor
Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach, (1804–1872), philosopher and anthropologist
Roman Herzog (1934-2017), President of Germany 1994–1999
Josef Deimer (born 1936), Lord Mayor of Landshut 1970–2004
Erich Kühnhackl (born 1950), ice hockey player

Notable inhabitants

Louis I, Duke of Bavaria (1173–1231), Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine
Hans von Burghausen (born 1350–1360; died 1432), builder
Hans Stethaimer (1360–1432), architect, mason and painter
Hans Leinberger (1480–1531), sculptor of the late Gothic
Götz von Berlichingen (1480–1562), Frankish Empire Knights
Renata of Lorraine (1544–1602), Duchess of Bavaria
Johann Graf von Aldringen (1588–1634), commander
Franz von Paula Schrank (1747–1835), botanist
Johann Michael Sailer (1751–1832), Catholic theologian and bishop of Regensburg
Franz Xaver Witt (1834–1888), church musician, composer, reformer, founder of the German general Cecilia Association
Max Freiherr von Oppenheim (1860–1946), diplomat, orientalist and archaeologist
Ludwig Thoma (1867–1921), writer
Hans Carossa (1878–1956), doctor, known as a poet and writer of short stories^{[citation needed]}
Gregor Strasser (1892–1934), National Socialist politician^{[citation needed]}
Heinrich Himmler (1900–1945), National Socialist politician, head of the SS
Marlene Neubauer-Woerner (1918–2010), sculptor
Fritz Koenig (1924–2017), sculptor
Heinz Winbeck (1946–2019), composer
Erich Kühnhackl (born 1950), ice hockey player^{[citation needed]}
Tom Kühnhackl (born 1992), ice hockey player
David Elsner (born 1992), ice hockey player
Herbert Hainer (born 1954), manager
Steffen Kummerer (born 1985), musician, guitarist of Obscura