Landshut [key], city (1994 pop. 59,640), Bavaria, SE Germany, on the Isar River. Once the capital of Lower Bavaria, it is now a transportation and industrial center. Manufactures include textiles, furniture, beer, chocolate, tobacco, and chemicals. A large influx of more than 12,000 refugees after World War II sparked new industries such as electrotechnics and machine-building. Founded in 1204, Landshut became the residence of the dukes of Bavaria-Landshut in 1255. The city suffered heavily in the Thirty Years War (1618–48). From 1802 to 1826 it was the seat of the Bavarian university (now at Munich). A 13th-century castle, Burg Trausnitz, overlooks the city. St. Martin's Church (1389) has one of the world's highest brick steeples (436 ft/133m).
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