Eastern Bavaria (Ostbayern), which incorporates Lower Bavaria (Niederbayern) and the Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz), two of the three provinces into which the medieval duchy was divided, is the least well-known region of the whole state, among Germans as well as visitors. Nonetheless, it includes both the cities that preceded Munich as capital of Bavaria. Regensburg , the main seat of power in the tribal days of the Dark Ages and nowadays capital of the Upper Palatinate, survived World War II relatively unscathed, and stands today as the most complete and one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Germany. In the region's southwestern corner is the wonderfully preserved town of Landshut , the capital of Lower Bavaria, which rivalled Munich in wealth and status during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Downstream along the Danube from Regensburg are two other enticing old towns, Straubing and Passau . Most of the southeastern part of the region is taken up by the Bavarian Forest , part of the largest forested area in Central Europe and one that still retains much of its primeval character, as well as an unexpectedly vibrant cultural life, especially during the summer.