St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Passau

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Passau tickets: which one to buy

Saint Stephen's Cathedral stands on the highest point of the old town of Passau, Bavaria, a city built on a narrow peninsula where the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz rivers meet, and entry is free. The cathedral is famous for its organ, one of the largest church organs in the world, and the midday organ concerts, held on most days from May to October, are the main reason many visitors come; tickets are sold at the cathedral. Evening concerts on Thursdays in summer are longer.

Passau is a stop for Danube river cruises, and cruise passengers visit the cathedral in large numbers, so arriving early for the midday concert is recommended. Walking tours of Passau include the cathedral, the Veste Oberhaus fortress across the river, the confluence of the three rivers and the old town streets. The treasury museum has its own fee. Tickets for the midday organ concert are sold at the entrance about half an hour before it starts.

Visiting St. Stephen's Cathedral, Passau: what to see

A church stood here from the eighth century, and after a great fire in 1662 destroyed the Gothic cathedral, it was rebuilt between 1668 and 1693 in the baroque style by the Italian architect Carlo Lurago, keeping the Gothic choir. The interior is one of the largest baroque church interiors north of the Alps, with white stucco by Giovanni Battista Carlone and ceiling frescoes by Carpoforo Tencalla. The organ, with more than 17,000 pipes and 233 registers, is divided among five organs that can be played from a single console, and it was for many years the largest church organ in the world. The main organ was built by Steinmeyer in 1928 and later enlarged.

The cathedral also has a pulpit decorated with gilded carvings and a high altar with a sculpture of the stoning of Saint Stephen. The treasury museum displays liturgical objects. The cathedral's choir is Gothic, with tall windows, and it contrasts with the baroque nave. The side chapels hold altars with paintings of saints. The pulpit is covered with gilded carvings of figures and clouds. The ceiling frescoes show scenes from the life of Saint Stephen. The organ's main console is in the west gallery, and pipes are placed in several parts of the church. The cathedral's bells include some of the largest in Bavaria. The Cathedral Treasury and Diocesan Museum are in the New Residence nearby. The square in front of the cathedral hosts markets.

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Passau opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, and the midday organ concerts take place from Monday to Saturday from May to October, and on some days in winter. Passau is busy in summer with river cruise passengers, and the old town can flood when the rivers rise, which happens occasionally in spring. The Passau European Weeks festival in summer brings music and theatre. The Christmas market on the Cathedral Square is popular. Allow about forty-five minutes for the cathedral and concert, and walk to the tip of the peninsula to see the meeting of the three rivers. The Veste Oberhaus fortress, across the Danube, houses a museum and offers a panoramic view of Passau.