St. Stephen's Cathedral

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St. Stephen's Cathedral
West facade of St. Stephen's Cathedral in 2007

West facade of St. Stephen's Cathedral in 2007
Construction year: 1221-1662
Builder : Hans Krumenauer , Ulrich Seidenschwanz (from 1439), Jörg Windisch (from 1466), Hans Glapsberger (16th century)
Layout
Dimensions: 102.0 × 37.5 × 69.0 m
Location: 48 ° 34 '26.6 "  N , 13 ° 27' 55.6"  E Coordinates: 48 ° 34 '26.6 "  N , 13 ° 27' 55.6"  E
Address: Domplatz 1, 94032
Passau
Bavaria , Germany
Purpose: Roman Catholic Cathedral
Local community: Passau
Parish: Cathedral Parish St. Stephan
Steinweg 15
94032 Passau
Website: St. Stephen's Cathedral
The cathedral from the right inner side or south view of the cathedral

The St. Stephan's Cathedral in Passau is from 1668 to rebuilt baroque Episcopal Church . It is the bishopric and main church of the Diocese of Passau . The cathedral was built on the highest elevation of the old town between the rivers Inn and Danube , 13 m above the Danube and 303 m above sea level. The Passau Cathedral is one of the largest domes with the largest baroque church interior north of the Alps.

history

Since the early Middle Ages, several episcopal churches have been built on the site of the current building. Five different construction activities can be demonstrated at the current location of the three-aisled cathedral:

  • Around 720, an Agilolfing-Carolingian bishop's church consecrated to St. Stephen was founded instead of the Roman Batavin bishop's church (450 AD) of the Christian community of St. Severin. In 739 the Roman canonical constitution of the Diocese of Passau took place by St. Boniface , Passau became the seat of a bishopric and the church became the cathedral of the diocese. The Agilolfingisch-Carolingian building was destroyed during two sieges of Passau by Emperor Otto II in 977 and 978 respectively.
  • During the term of office of Bishop Pilgrim , a new three-aisled episcopal church with a western double tower facade was built. As the two days on which the axis directions of the nave and choir were determined, the 8th and 12th March 982 could be determined according to recent research. This separate definition of the central axis of the nave and choir, which was customary at the time, can still be seen today as an axis bend of 2.91 ° ​​between the nave and choir. The solemn consecration of the choir as the first construction phase took place on August 5, 985. This consecration date is still valid today, since in all subsequent construction phases, which were always only seen as an extension or renovation, the entire cathedral was not consecrated again. (The fact that the consecration of the cathedral church has recently been celebrated on August 3rd is probably due to a misinterpretation of the building inscription on the high Gothic east choir and a mix-up of two St. Stephen's feasts that no longer exist in the calendar of saints. The building inscription names May 7th 1407 for the laying of the foundation stone of the choir; the day, however, indirectly via the day of remembrance, as it is in some cases still customary in a church context: On May 7th, the " translation of the bones of St. Stephen" was celebrated, on August 3, the "discovery of the bones of the St. Stephen ".)
  • The early Gothic cathedral was built between 1221 and 1313. The nave was rebuilt and the towers of the west facade were raised.
  • The late Gothic eastern section (choir, crossing tower and the elevation of the early Gothic central nave) was created between 1407 and 1598 by master builder Hans Krumenauer and his successors Ulrich Seidenschwanz (from 1439), Jörg Windisch (from 1466) and, most recently, Hans Glapsberger in the 16th century.
  • The current 100 m long baroque building was built between 1668 and 1693 after a fire in 1662. The new Prince-Bishop Wenzeslaus Graf Thun (1664–1673), elected in the spring of 1664, was faced with the task of initiating reconstruction. Before his election he had been provost of the cathedral in Salzburg.

Only the late Gothic eastern part of the earlier buildings has survived. Hans Krumenauer's late Gothic, originally three-aisled choir, the transept and the crossing tower were incorporated into the modern construction. The two Gothic side apses of the side aisles and the so-called Ortenburger Chapel as a former side chapel in the transept were no longer integrated into the church during the baroque renovation, but are largely in their external building fabric such as B. obtained in the stairwell to the old residence .

The overall planning was done by Carlo Lurago , who tightly organized the largest Prague construction company and carried out one building after the other with his people. He came from Pellio in the Intelvi Valley. His most important collaborators, Francesco della Torre and Giovanni Battista Passerini , both master stonemasons , came from the neighboring village of Ramponia . They learned in the Viennese building works and in the quarries of Kaisersteinbruch in Hungary, today Austria, an Italian-Swiss artist colony , as masters they received the Prague citizenship certificate in 1663, on the same day. The stone carving at the cathedral could only be done by several masters who worked in friendship with each other (for the same profit). Trial files in the archives of the City of Prague report great difficulties. The final settlement was made by a building commissioner with Giovanni Pietro della Torre , the son and successor in office as royal court stone mason.

The interior was created by Giovanni Battista Carlone , the frescoes were painted by Carpoforo Tencalla and Carlo Antonio Bussi .

In 1928 the Staatliche Dombauhütte was re-established due to the need for ongoing repairs. The first complete interior restoration since the city fire of 1680 was carried out from 1972 to 1980.

Exterior

The cathedral courtyard with the cathedral dome with a transition between Gothic and Baroque construction sections. The Stephansturmchen can be seen on the left. The access to the Sixtus Chapel is behind the fountain , and the Andreas Chapel is on the left side of the picture .

The baroque, two-tower baroque facade is on the east side of the cathedral square . The fact that two huge buildings of different styles from the late Gothic and Baroque periods fit together so harmoniously inside and out into a balanced whole makes the Passau Cathedral special among all cathedrals in the German cultural area (“a baroque cathedral with a Gothic soul”). Carlo Lurago created a coherent high baroque church interior despite the Gothic layout (top height 29 m; with a central nave width of only 12 m).

Last but not least, the domes, called Bohemian caps or Platzl vaults , give the building an unmistakable appearance. The octagonal upper floors of the west towers with the bell chambers and the neo-baroque domes were not added until 1896. Only then did the towers reach the height of the cathedral dome with their 68 meters. The bell of the late Gothic crossing dome dates from the 18th century when the original hood was renewed.

In the basement of the south tower, a gate opens to the narrow Zengergasse, which separates it from the old residence (today the seat of the regional court). This runs along the south side of the cathedral to the Residenzplatz to the east of the cathedral . From there, the late Gothic choir building with its filigree buttress is visible. At the eastern end of the northern cross arm is the graceful octagonal late Gothic St. Stephen's tower, which is crowned by the figure of the church patron.

Entrance to Zengergasse with transition to the old residence and console pillar at the cathedral

The construction of the eastern buttress of the southern transept, which is designed as a console pillar , is structurally interesting and unique for the 15th century at the exit from Zengergasse to Residenzplatz . This unusual construction was necessary here to keep the access to the old residence free for carriages that could not turn in the narrow alley. In 1967/68 the console pillar was supported by a reinforced concrete structure to secure the structure, which was finally replaced by five stainless steel tie rods up to 12 m long in 2006/07.

The cathedral courtyard

On the north side of the cathedral is a large courtyard, the cathedral courtyard . The former cathedral cloister with its Gothic portal is a remnant of the cathedral monastery attested in 739. The cloister was demolished in 1812. The tombstones located here were in the Andreas chapel until 1961/62, but originally came mostly from the chapels that were demolished in 1812. From the original ten chapels only four still exist today.

The Andreas Chapel from around 1300, which is one of the oldest hall churches in Bavaria, is located on the east side of the square. The numerous gravestones point to their original purpose as a mortuary for the canons. It is therefore also called the gentleman's chapel . Hans Krumenauer created the choir with its ribbed vault in 1414. In the east of the Andreas chapel there is the high Gothic Erasmus Choir .

Immediately to the south of the Andreas Chapel is the Sixtus Chapel , also known as the Ortenburg Chapel . It contains the tomb of Count Heinrich IV von Ortenburg .

On the western side of the cathedral courtyard are the Trennbach Chapel or Urban Chapel with the high grave of Bishop Urban von Trennbach and the Lamberg Chapel or Salvator Chapel with the burial place of Cardinal Johann Philipp von Lamberg .

Between the Trennbach chapel and the north tower of the cathedral there are still the remains of the Corpus Christi chapel , which has been documented since 1317. The portal of the chapel has been preserved to this day, but it was significantly reduced in size when the baroque north tower was built in the 17th century and was no longer used as a chapel. Today it mainly serves as a storage room. To the left of this is a Gothic portal that serves as access to the cathedral during church services when the large portals are closed.

The St. Anna chapel was located opposite the current north entrance of the cathedral in the cathedral cloister. It was built in 1343 by the Mautner Ludwig auf dem Stein. In 1609, the Barons von Schätzl built the St. Michaels Chapel on the northern wing of the cathedral cloister. Both chapels were demolished in 1813.

The double chapel of the All Saints and Elisabeth Chapel on the west side in the cathedral cloister was also demolished in 1813 . These chapels were built after 1300 with the inclusion of z. Some of the late antique predecessor buildings were erected. The Gothic font, which is now in the St. Andrew's Chapel, originally comes from this double chapel, which indicates that it was originally used as the baptistery of the old cathedral church. The basement of the double chapel has been preserved and today serves as an ossuary for the bones found during the redesign of the cathedral courtyard, but it is walled up and inaccessible.

The exact location of the Hieronymus Chapel is no longer known, but it must be looked for in the area of ​​today's St. Maximilian Seminary between St. Andrew's Chapel and the Gothic entrance to the cathedral courtyard.

Furnishing

Stucco work and frescoes in the central nave

Stucco work and frescoes

The interior of the three-aisled nave is structured by six yokes separated by wide belt arches . This is followed by the dome and finally the single-nave choir. The lavish stucco work by Giovanni Battista Carlone, underlaid with numerous figurative structures, dominates . The row of atlases in the choir vault is particularly striking . The frescoes by Carpoforo Tencalla in the nave, created between 1679 and 1684, culminate in the dome painting with God the Father in the midst of the Evangelists and in the choir painting depicting the stoning of St. Stephen represents. Carlo Antonio Bossi took over the painting of the side aisles in 1688.

The program of the frescoes was determined by the then dean of Linz, Johann Bernhardin Gentilotti . The Emporenjoch is dedicated to music. In the remaining five nave bays of the central nave, four virtues (as allegorical female figures) as well as putti holding scrolls and Old Testament prophets are thematically assigned to the ceiling painting . The tapes refer to the respective ceiling painting.

In the ceiling painting of the first yoke the expulsion of the merchants from the temple is shown. The prophets Jeremiah , Amos , Jonah and Job as well as the virtues of penance , humility , truth and obedience are assigned to him.

In the fresco on the second yoke, the replacement of the Mosaic sacrificial service with the Eucharist is shown; The prophets Abdias , Nahum , David and Micha as well as the virtues of vigilance , patience , hope and love are assigned here .

The third yoke addresses the work of the Holy Spirit with a holy spirit . Osea , Sophonias , Habakkuk and Haggai are represented here as prophets, and faith , meekness , strength and peace as virtues . From the opening of this yoke the sound of the distant organ built into the attic above resounds into the interior of the church.

The fourth yoke represents the triumph of the church . The prophet figures represent Malachi , Jeremiah , Solomon and Joel , the virtues figures represent righteousness , unity , wisdom and justice .

The fifth yoke as the last before the fourth represents the triumph of the Catholic Church . The prophets Isaiah , Ezekiel , Baruch and Zacharias and the virtues of contemplation , chastity , receptivity and the Catholic religion are assigned to this. Church fathers and sibyls are shown in the spandrels of the central nave .

The fresco in the crossing dome shows God the Father in heaven. It is thematically assigned to the large choir fresco across the yoke that depicts the stoning of St. Stephen shows. The frescoes in the two transepts and aisles refer to the altars below.

Altars and pulpit

pulpit

The high altar depicting the stoning of St. Stephanus shows, was created between 1947 and 1953 by Josef Henselmann , from whom the people's altar from 1961 also comes.

The side altars were all made by Giovanni Battista Carlone between 1685 and 1693 .

On the right-hand side in front is the Marien Altar, then to the rear the Pauli Conversion Altar with a painting by Johann Michael Rottmayr (Conversion of the Apostle Paul, 1693), Martin 's Altar with a painting by Johann Carl Resler von Reslfeld , the Nativity Altar with painting by Johann Andreas Wolff (Adoration of the Shepherds, 1698) and Sebastian altar with painting by Rottmayr (Rescue of St. Sebastian by Irene).

On the front left is the Agnes altar with the tabernacle and a painting by Rottmayr (Martyrdom of St. Agnes), followed by a three-king altar with a painting by Johann Caspar Sing (Adoration of the Three Magi, 1697), Catherine altar with a painting by Johann Carl Resler von Reslfeld (Katharina before the throne of Our Lady), Johannes altar with painting by Rottmayr (beheading of the Baptist, 1693) and finally the Maximilian and Valentine altar.

The gilded pulpit was made by the Viennese court carpenter Johann Georg Series from 1722 to 1726.

Dimensions

  • 102.00 m long
  • 33.50 m wide
  • The top of the vault is 29 m
  • Crossing dome is 69 m high
  • The towers are 68 m high

Organs

Today's main organ on the west gallery

As early as 1467/1471, under Prince-Bishop Ulrich von Nußdorf , probably by organ builder Wolfgang Ruerdorff, a first, late-Gothic organ was built. In the town fire in 1662 two or four organs were destroyed (depending on the source). For this reason, a new organ was built on the west gallery in 1688 by the Passau organ builder Leopold Freundt . In 1715, organ builder Johann Ignaz Egedacher built two pillar organs. The magnificent case of the main organ was probably carved in 1731 by the Passau sculptor Joseph Matthias Götz , that of the side organs in 1718 by Joseph Hartmann. During the renovation of the cathedral in 1858, these were moved to the western side galleries. After the main organ appeared to be defective, a new main organ was built again in 1731 by Johann Ignaz Egedacher. Again a new main organ was built between 1886 and 1890 after the old organ was repaired in 1862 and 1871 and in 1885 court conductor Franz Miloche warned again of damage to the old organ.

However, due to insufficient maintenance and technical wear and tear, this organ also became increasingly unusable over time, so that in 1924 a new one had to be built by the Steinmeyer company from Oettingen . This was finally inaugurated on Whitsun in 1928 and was the largest organ in the world with 208 registers before it was more than doubled by the organ of the Atlantic City Convention Hall (built between 1929 and 1932). From 1930 the electrical systems were modernized, until 1971 the disposition was improved.

Today's five organs, which were built between 1978 and 1984 and 1993 by the Eisenbarth organ building company from Passau, form the largest cathedral organ in the world with a total of 233 registers and 17,974 pipes.

Bells

The Passau Cathedral has eight church bells . Today's bells still largely reflect the historical bells from 1684, which also consisted of eight bells. Most of these bells have now been replaced or re-cast. Since the renovation of the towers in 1897, the octagons with the neo-baroque domes have been designed as bells, so that both towers each have two bells.

No.
 		 Surname
 		 Casting year
 		 Foundry, casting location
 		 Mass
(kg, approx.)		 Diameter
(mm, approx.)		 Percussive
( HT - 1 / 16 )		 tower
 
1 Pummerin 1952 Bell foundry Rudolf Perner , Passau 7,850 2,320 f sharp 0 −8 South tower
2 Misericordia 1999 5,950 2,180 g 0 −5 North tower
3 Striker 1733 Nikolaus Drackh, Passau 5,600 2,100 a 0 −8 South tower
4th Dignitarian 1897 Bell foundry Lorenz, Passau 3,375 1,730 h 0 -3 North tower
5 Preacher 1896 2,400 1,540 cis 1 −2
6th Angelus bell 1897 1,250 1,250 e 1 −3
7th Elfuhr bell 1896 800 1,120 f sharp 1 −5
8th Choir bell 1951 Bell foundry Rudolf Perner, Passau 525 995 a 1 −8

Two more bells were added to the historical peal. The official bell was removed in 1917 and cast into cannonballs. The death bell has been hanging in the St. Severin cemetery church since 1952 . The 9th bell hangs next to the sacristy door of the cathedral, the drawing bell weighing 26 kg.

photos

  • The Cathedral of the Veste Oberhaus from

  • The cathedral from the left side of the Danube

  • Historical view around 1860 in front of the renovation of the facade and the towers

  • The west facade of the cathedral with the Max monument

  • View of the crossing and the choir of the cathedral

See also

literature

  • Michael Hauck and Herbert Wilhelm Wurster , (eds.): The Passau Cathedral of the Middle Ages . Passau 2009.
  • Mario Schwarz : The role model effect of Passau Cathedral on Austrian architecture in the High Middle Ages . In: Karl Möseneder (ed.): Art in Passau. From the Romanesque to the present , o. O. 1993, pp. 9–29.

Web links

Commons : St. Stephen's Cathedral  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikisource: Passau St. Stephan baptismal register 1599–1637  - sources and full texts
Wikisource: Passau St. Stephan marriage register 1599–1637  - sources and full texts

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Erwin Reidinger : Passau, St. Stephan Cathedral 982: Achsknick = time mark . In: The Passau Cathedral of the Middle Ages . Publications of the Institute for Cultural Research in Eastern Bavaria and the neighboring regions of the University of Passau, Volume 60. Passau 2009, ISBN 978-3-932949-91-3 , pp. 7–32, ISSN  0479-6748 .
  2. ^ Helmuth Furch : In: Communications of the Museum and Culture Association Kaisersteinbruch. Hometown Ramponio d´Intelvi, families Passerini and della Torre . No. 47, 1997, pp. 13-64.
  3. ↑ Dehio : Bavaria II-Lower Bavaria. Darmstadt 1988, p. 504
  4. ↑ bells | Diocese of Passau ( memento of October 29, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), bistum-passau.de.