Organ concerts
in the Schwaz parish church
Sit down, close your eyes and let the impressive sounds of the largest symphonic organ in Tyrol take effect
In the summer months of July and August, international master organists play concerts as part of the "Schwaz Organ Festival", in which they virtuously demonstrate everything that the mighty organ has to offer. You can expect a listening experience of a special kind, because this musical experience takes place in the impressive Schwaz city parish church Maria Himmelfahrt - a cathedral of superlatives. The 300-ton copper plates alone, with which its roof is covered, bring home to us the immense wealth that flowed to Schwaz around 1500 from the largest silver and copper mining operations in the Old World. A 500-year-old, five-story roof truss supports this only copper plate roof in the world - it is the largest Gothic roof truss in Austria next to Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral. In addition, the Schwazer city parish church is the only four-nave hall church in Central Europe, and in its bell tower rings with the 1503 cast, 4.5 tons heavy "Maximiliana" the largest church bell of Tyrol.
The middle section of the large organ of the Schwazer city parish church was created 270 years ago by the ingenious Schwazer Franciscan monk Gaudenz Köck and the instrument was expanded in 1899 by the two symmetrical side sections. With 3,800 pipes, the Schwaz organ is the largest symphonic instrument in the province of Tyrol, famous as much for masterful balance as for fascinating richness of tone color.
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