Church · Old Town

St Stephen's Cathedral

St Stephen's Cathedral crowns the highest point of the old-town peninsula between the Danube and the Inn and is the bishop's church of the Diocese of Passau. From afar, its two mighty west towers and the green dome over the crossing shape the unmistakable silhouette of the City of Three Rivers. Churches have stood on this spot since early times; after a devastating city fire in 1662, the cathedral was rebuilt from 1668 by the Italian master builder Carlo Lurago in a lavish Baroque style, while the late-Gothic east choir of its predecessor was preserved.

The light-filled interior, with exuberant stuccowork by Giovanni Battista Carlone and colourful ceiling frescoes by Carpoforo Tencalla, is considered one of the most important Baroque spaces north of the Alps. Whoever steps inside enters a room full of movement, gold and light that unfolds the full splendour of the southern German High Baroque. World-famous is the cathedral organ, with 17,974 pipes and 233 stops — the largest cathedral organ in the world, which fills the vast nave with an incomparable sound experience.

From May to October, midday organ concerts on weekdays draw visitors from around the globe. The cathedral stands on Domplatz at the heart of the upper old town, surrounded by the episcopal residence, venerable patrician houses and narrow lanes — an ideal starting point for exploring Baroque Passau on foot.

Official website →