The Largest Cathedral Organ in the World

Although St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Passau, Germany, was founded in 1668, this Baroque church stands on the foundations of its predecessors dating back to 730 AD. The church has been dedicated to Saint Stephen and houses the world’s largest cathedral organ.

The five-manual general console enables one person to play all 17,774 pipes and 233 registers. Upon entering the cathedral, turn your attention above the main entrance to the great organ and its baroque case that dates to 1731. On the western aisle lie the epistle and gospel organs whose cases date to 1715. The choir organ sits at the altar. In the attic, above the “Holy Spirit Hole,” rests the echo organ. Over 120 kilometers of cable line the attic, uniting these parts to form the largest cathedral organ in the world.

The ceiling’s hole enables muted tones from the organ to flow into the cathedral. The organ’s biggest pipe weighs 306 kilos and measures more than 11 meters in length, capable of producing deep tones of 16 Hz. The smallest pipes measure in at a mere 6 millimeters, with high tones up to 16,000 Hz.

From May to October, St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Passau has organ concerts from 12 to 12:30 p.m. daily, excluding Sundays and holidays.