The biggest pipe organs in the world

Beautiful and large pipe organs can be found all over the world. These are the most beautiful and biggest pipe organs. Which impressive organ is your favorite?

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

In St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Passau, Bavaria, Germany, you can find the largest organ in the world. This organ has 17,000 pipes. Every day at noon, there is a 30-minute organ concert, which costs around 4 euros. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the magnificent cathedral with its old tombstones, a fountain, an enormous painted ceiling, and various altars and paintings. Please note that photography is not allowed.

Grote- or Sint Laurenskerk

The largest organ in the Netherlands can be found in the Grote- or Sint Laurenskerk in Rotterdam. This beautiful organ has 85 stops and 7,600 pipes. It was built by a Danish company and was commissioned in 1973.

Martinikerk

Another beautiful organ is the Schnitger organ in the Dutch Martinikerk with grandiose hollow pipes. These pipes consist almost entirely of lead. This organ also has unique bass pipes, which are now more than three hundred years old. A fantastic design by builder Arp Schnitger.

Orgel der Stadtkirche

Many organ fans praise the Organ der Stadtkirche in Waltershausen (Germany), built by Tobias Heinrich Gottfried Trost in the period 1724-1755. “This organ has a fascinating sound”, Ewald Kooiman, organist and professor, once told in an interview with The Dutch newspaper ‘De Volkskrant’. “Very different from what we’re used to: soft and silvery.”

Boardwalk Hall

The auditorium organ in Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City is called the jumbo jet of the pipe organs. This gigantic instrument has 33,112 pipes and these are divided into seven manuals. The sound of this organ has to fill an auditorium with 41,000 seats. A big task, but Boardwalk Hall is up to it.

Newberry Memorial Organ

Sober yet impressive, the Newberry Memorial Organ in Woolsey Hall (Yale University) has 12,617 pipes. This organ, built in 1902, is not as old as others, but it leaves a lasting impression.

Basilica of Valeria

But is bigger always better? Perhaps not. At Mixtuur, we are enthusiasts of old organs from the period between 1400 and 1800. The oldest playable organ in the world can be found in the Basiliek van Valeria in Sion, Switzerland. This organ was built in 1435 and expanded with four registers in 1687. In the last century, conservator Maurice Wenger restored the organ, making it playable again. Every summer, an international festival for old organs – the Festival de l’orgue ancien de Valere – takes place, and organ enthusiasts can listen to this ancient organ.

San Maurizio al Monsatero Maggiore

Planning a city trip to Milan? Make sure to visit San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore. This church houses a magnificent organ from 1554. The organ is situated in a wooden case with two enormous painted panels on each side. It might be easy to overlook, as the church itself is a true masterpiece.

Notre Dame

The most famous organ in the world can be seen in the Notre Dame in Paris, France. The pipes contrast nicely with the stained glass. This organ has 8,000 pipes, is the largest organ in France and is visited annually by many tourists.

Do you want to play on the world’s most beautiful organs?

It’s every organist’s dream to play on famous organs. Did you know that this is possible? With Hauptwerk (software), you can play on many organs right in your living room. How exactly does it work? Read more on this page.