Saturday, 9 March 2024

Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Passau, Germany.



English: Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Passau, Germany.
Deutsch: Passau, der Fluss Inn, Dom und das Oberhaus
Photo: 2011.
Source: Own work.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,
unless stated otherwise.


Saint Stephen’s Cathedral (German: Dom Sankt Stephan) is a Baroque Church from 1688 in Passau, Germany, Dedicated to Saint Stephen.

It is the Seat of the Catholic Bishop of Passau and the main Church of his Diocese.


Saint Stephen’s Cathedral’s Organ,
Passau, Germany.
Photo: 1 May 2018.
Source: Own work.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Organ Concert in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, 
Passau, Germany.
Available on YouTube


Since 730 A.D., there have been many Churches built on the site of the current Cathedral. The current Church, a Baroque building around 100 metres (328 ft) long, was built from 1668 to 1693 after a fire in 1662 destroyed its predecessor, of which only the late Gothic Eastern side remains. The Cathedral’s overall Plan was made by Carlo Lurago, its interior decoration by Giovanni Battista Carlone, and its frescoes by Carpoforo Tencalla.


Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Passau, Germany.
Photo: 29 March 2007.
Source: Own work.
Attribution: GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0
Author: Aconcagua
(Wikimedia Commons)


Passau Cathedral’s Organ used to be the largest Organ in the World. It still is the largest Church Organ outside the USA. Over time, it has been outgrown by more recent instruments, for instance Wanamaker’s Organ in the USA.

The Organ currently has 17,774 Pipes and 233 Registers, all of which can be played with the five-manual general console in the gallery. Portions of the Organ have their own mechanical-action or electric-action consoles, for a total of six consoles.


Ceiling Paintings,
Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, 
Passau, Germany.
Photo: 5 July 2016.
Source: Own work.
Author: Unnaugan
(Wikimedia Commons)


The Cathedral has eight large Bells in the North and South Towers. The heaviest,“Pummerin”, at 7550 kg, cast in 1952, and “Sturmerin”, weighing 5300 kg, cast in 1733, hang in the South Tower.


The Pulpit,
Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Passau, Germany.
Photo: 23 August 2005.
Source: Own work.
Author: Gunterius
(Wikimedia Commons)


The other six Bells hang in the North Tower. They include:

“Misericordia”, weighing 6000 kg, the Angelus Bell;

“Predigerin”;

“Elfuhrglocken”, the Choir Bell;

“Dignitar”.

A ninth Bell, the “Zeichenglocke” hangs near the Sacristy door.

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