Liebherr L1 Fast-Erecting Crane at Work Inside Passau Cathedral

The organ at St Stephan's Cathedral in Passau incorporates 17,974 pipes, making it the largest Catholic church organ in the world. A Liebherr L1-24 fast-erecting crane has been given the task of carefully moving the organ pipes, which weigh several hundred kilograms.

The Liebherr fast-erecting crane was slowly manoeuvred into place inside Passau Cathedral and then assembled. It was surrounded by scaffolding that reach up to the gallery and once fully erected lowered the metres-long pipes from their mounts into the nave.

The largest organ pipe in Passau Cathedral is over 11 metres long and weighs 306 kilograms. The pipes are made of a delicate tin-lead alloy, a very soft material. This means that lifting the pipes has to be done with great care. Liebherr is playing its part in the ongoing renovation of the organ and its pipes up in the gallery. The pipes are being removed one by one, restored, and then fitted back into place.

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