No trip to Passau is complete without a visit to St. Steven s Cathedral. This beautiful church is set in the oldest part of the city and is known as one of Passau s most impressive sights. The original cathedral was burned almost completely to the ground during the town fire of 1662 that destroyed the city. However, with the help of several Italian baroque artists and architects, the church was restored. The interior of the cathedral is decorated in the common baroque style and is beautiful to behold.
Every inch is covered with highly ornate detail and is almost overwhelming to see.
Although we did not take one, guided tours are available. The only downsides are that they are mainly for large groups, and are only in English when requested. If the sight of St. Steven s is not enough to attract your interests, it is also the home of the world's largest church organ. With 17,774 organ pipes, the instrument spans most of the rear wall of the cathedral. One interesting and impressive fact is that the five parts of the organ can be played from one main keyboard by one person.