St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Here it is, the star of the show – the magnificent St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In German, it’s called Stephansdom, but the locals have nicknamed it Steffel, meaning Little Stephen. This is Vienna’s ultimate must-see landmark. Nestled in the heart of the city, this gothic architectural masterpiece is renowned for its size and colourful tiled roof. 107 metres long, 34 metres wide, and its south tower at 136 metres high, it’s Vienna’s tallest religious building, and the biggest Gothic structure in Austria. Constructed from 1137, consecrated in 1147, and expanded the following century, its long history has seen many ups and downs… It’s hosted major events such as Mozart’s wedding and Vivaldi’s funeral, but it’s also been bombed several times, by the Ottomans in 1575, by Napoleon during his siege of Vienna, and by the Allied Forces at the end of World War II, which left the cathedral in ruins. After 7 years of renovations, it officially reopened in 1952. It has remained a place of deep reflection that we highly recommend visiting. For a small entry fee, you can climb to the top of the south tower through the old drainage system, and get a closer look at the 230,000 glazed tiles. You’ll spot eagles on the tiles, symbols of Vienna and Austria, and double-headed eagles, representing the former Austria-Hungary. You can also visit the cathedral’s incredible treasury, and head down into the catacombs – an underground network of 30 burial chambers with over 10,000 remains. Today, St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna. It’s also a protected monument, just like all of Vienna’s UNESCO-listed historic centre.