Message of Peace

Passion plays have a long tradition, particularly in Erl. More than 500 of the 1,400 inhabitants take to the stage.

History of the Passion Play in Erl

Erl has enjoyed a particularly long tradition of passion play productions. This small village along the Bavarian border has staged the suffering and dying of Christ since 1613. Each performance usually requires the services of approximately 450 extras, invariably residents of the village. The venue, the Passion Playhouse was built in 1959.
Designed by architect Robert Schuller, the building was considered a sensational masterpiece when it was first erected, and even today its timeless features rival any modern architecture. The Passion Playhouse is the largest ground-level theatre in Austria. The building not only appears modern, but also boasts excellent acoustics, both for speeches as well as for concert performances.
The Passion play is performed every six years. During the intervening years, the village hosts the Tyrolean Festival and many other concerts.

Playhouse Schedule

Preparations are already underway for the next Passion play production, which takes place from May to October 2008. For further information please visit: www.passionsspiele.at.