St. Stephen's Cathedral, Passau (must see)
Saint Stephen's Cathedral is an impressive baroque church. As the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Passau and the main church of his diocese, it holds significant religious and historical importance.
The site of the cathedral has been home to several churches since as far back as 730 AD. The current structure, a remarkable baroque building stretching around 100 meters (328 ft) in length, was constructed between 1668 and 1693. This came after a devastating fire in 1662 that destroyed its predecessor, leaving only the late gothic eastern side intact. The masterful architectural plan was crafted by Carlo Lurago, while the interior decoration was entrusted to the skilled hands of Giovanni Battista Carlone. The vibrant frescoes that adorn the interior were created by the talented Carpoforo Tencalla.
One of the cathedral's most remarkable features is its magnificent organ, which used to hold the title of the largest organ in the world. Although it has since been surpassed by newer instruments, such as Wanamaker's organ in the United States, it remains the largest church organ outside of the USA. With an astounding 17,774 pipes and 233 registers, the organ offers a wide range of musical possibilities. It is controlled by a five-manual general console located in the gallery. Additionally, specific portions of the organ have their own mechanical or electric consoles, bringing the total number of consoles to six.
In the Cathedral Treasury and Diocesan museum you can see about 100 priceless works of sacred art - from Romanesque, through Gothic, Renaissance, to the late Baroque. The collection includes incunabula, vestments and liturgical vessels.
The site of the cathedral has been home to several churches since as far back as 730 AD. The current structure, a remarkable baroque building stretching around 100 meters (328 ft) in length, was constructed between 1668 and 1693. This came after a devastating fire in 1662 that destroyed its predecessor, leaving only the late gothic eastern side intact. The masterful architectural plan was crafted by Carlo Lurago, while the interior decoration was entrusted to the skilled hands of Giovanni Battista Carlone. The vibrant frescoes that adorn the interior were created by the talented Carpoforo Tencalla.
One of the cathedral's most remarkable features is its magnificent organ, which used to hold the title of the largest organ in the world. Although it has since been surpassed by newer instruments, such as Wanamaker's organ in the United States, it remains the largest church organ outside of the USA. With an astounding 17,774 pipes and 233 registers, the organ offers a wide range of musical possibilities. It is controlled by a five-manual general console located in the gallery. Additionally, specific portions of the organ have their own mechanical or electric consoles, bringing the total number of consoles to six.
In the Cathedral Treasury and Diocesan museum you can see about 100 priceless works of sacred art - from Romanesque, through Gothic, Renaissance, to the late Baroque. The collection includes incunabula, vestments and liturgical vessels.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Passau. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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St. Stephen's Cathedral on Map
Sight Name: St. Stephen's Cathedral
Sight Location: Passau, Germany (See walking tours in Passau)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Passau, Germany (See walking tours in Passau)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Passau, Germany
Create Your Own Walk in Passau
Creating your own self-guided walk in Passau is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Passau Introduction Walking Tour
A charming German town nestled among the rolling hills of Lower Bavaria 鈥渂etween heaven and three rivers,鈥� Passau is a city of natural beauty and religious pilgrimage.
Founded over 2,000 years ago, this is one of the oldest cities in Bavaria. Its history dates back to Roman times when it was a small colony known as "Batavis." The latter word translates from Latin as "for the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Founded over 2,000 years ago, this is one of the oldest cities in Bavaria. Its history dates back to Roman times when it was a small colony known as "Batavis." The latter word translates from Latin as "for the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles