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Passau Saint Stephen’s Cathedral 
St Stephen’s Cathedral is located at the high point of the city’s Old Town and was constructed between 1668 to 1693 after a fire in 1662, which devastated almost the entire city. Although the fire destroyed its predecessor, the eastern part of the building survived and was incorporated into the new cathedral. There have been several churches on the site since the founding of a monastery there in the second half of the fifth century. A church was mentioned in a document dating from 730 and since 739 it has been the place of the cathedral of the diocese. This was destroyed in 978 during a siege of the city by Holy Roman Emperor Otto II (973 - 983). In 982 a new cathedral, in Romanesque style, was built with a western façade and with two towers. In the latter part of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th-century, the nave was completely rebuilt and the towers on the western façade were enlarged in the Gothic Style. The chancel, transept crossing, and central nave was built between 1407 and 1598. This was completely destroyed in the fire of 1662. A complete restoration carried out since the construction of the current building was carried out between 1972 to 1980. The current building blends the two different architectural styles of Gothic and Baroque. Measuring 102 metres (334.6 feet) long by 33.5 metres (110 feet) wide it has a dome rising to a height of 68 metres (223feet). The towers with their octagonal upper floors received their baroque domes, in 1896. This took them to a height of 68 meters (223 feet), the height of the cathedral's dome. Within the two towers are eight large bells, six bells in the north tower, two in the south tower which includes the heaviest, "Pummerin" weighing 7,550 kg (16,645 lbs) from 1952 and "Sturmerin", 5,300 kg (11,684 lbs) dating from 1733. The bell at the crossing of the transept dates from the 18th- century when the original dome was rebuilt. Internally, the three-nave interior is divided by pillars and large arches.   At the end of the nave is the crossing and the chancel containing the High Altar. The high altar was built in 1952 by Josef Henselmann, above the high altar are the statues that shows the stoning of Saint Stephen after who the cathedral is named.   The first organ was built in the cathedral around 1467 – 1471. A number of enlargements, additions and repairs have been added over the years and following repairs carried out in 1862 and 1871 on the main organ and subject to a condition report in 1885, in 1886 a new main organ was built. This underwent subsequent additions. In 1924, due to wear and tear and lack of maintenance, this organ became practically unplayable which required the installation of a new organ. This was inserted into the existing case and was completed in 1928. It was modernized in 1930 with the introduction of electricity. It underwent major restoration between 1977 and 1982 and then again in 1993.
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All Photographs were taken by and are copyright of Ron Gatepain
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