St. Stephen's Cathedral

The cathedral's history dates back to the early Middle Ages, when a bishop's church dedicated to St. Stephen was founded around 720, replacing a Roman predecessor. In 739, the Diocese of Passau was canonically established by St. Boniface, elevating the church to the cathedral of the diocese. After destructions during sieges in 977 and 978, an early Romanesque three-aisled episcopal church was consecrated under Bishop Pilgrim. An early Gothic cathedral was built between 1221 and 1313, followed by the late Gothic eastern part, which was constructed from 1407 to 1598 under master builder Hans Krumenauer and his successors. A fire in 1662 led to the reconstruction of the current Baroque cathedral, completed from 1668 to 1693 according to plans by Carlo Lurago. During this process, the late Gothic choir, transept, and crossing tower were integrated into the new building.