World's Largest Organ
Passau's magnificent Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral) was mostly rebuilt between 1668-93 in Baroque style following a fire in the 1662. Of the previous fifteenth century Gothic cathedral only the external walls of the apse and transepts survive, much modified when the interior was wholly remodelled in the Baroque style to match the new nave and west facade.
The crossing tower is a surviving remnant of the previous building, but given a Baroque facelift and a striking copper onion dome to match theose of the west towers.
The interior is a sumptuous example of a fusion of Bavarian and Italian Baroque, having been largely designed by Italian architect Carlo Lurago, and embellished by the stucco decoration of Giovanni Battista Carlone and the frescos of Carpoforo Tencalla.
It also contains at the west end of the nave what is reputedly the largest church organ in the World.
World's Largest Organ
Passau's magnificent Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral) was mostly rebuilt between 1668-93 in Baroque style following a fire in the 1662. Of the previous fifteenth century Gothic cathedral only the external walls of the apse and transepts survive, much modified when the interior was wholly remodelled in the Baroque style to match the new nave and west facade.
The crossing tower is a surviving remnant of the previous building, but given a Baroque facelift and a striking copper onion dome to match theose of the west towers.
The interior is a sumptuous example of a fusion of Bavarian and Italian Baroque, having been largely designed by Italian architect Carlo Lurago, and embellished by the stucco decoration of Giovanni Battista Carlone and the frescos of Carpoforo Tencalla.
It also contains at the west end of the nave what is reputedly the largest church organ in the World.