St. Stephen’s Cathedral

St. Stephansdom

St. Stephen’s Cathedral has long been a symbol of Vienna. It is Vienna’s most famous Gothic building. You are now seeing the third cathedral built on this site. It was first a simple Romanesque basilica built in 1147. A part of the second Romanesque church now forms the western facade of the cathedral.

General information

Among the artistic treasures of the cathedral are the tombstones of Emperor Frederick III and Prince Eugene of Savoy (1754), the magnificent pulpit by Anton Pilgram, and the Vienna Gothic altar dating back to 1447. The cathedral was badly damaged during the Turkish siege of 1683, as well as in the last days of World War II, when a fire engulfed the roof. The roof was restored and in 1950 it was decorated with ceramic tiles donated by the people of Vienna. Mozart’s wedding took place in this cathedral in 1782, and in December 1791 the great composer was buried here. You can climb both towers of the cathedral. An elevator will take you to the north tower. Here you will find the Pummerin bell, one of the largest in the world. It rings only once a year – on New Year’s Eve. From the tower you have a magnificent view of Vienna and the Vienna Woods. The view from the south tower is even more beautiful, but there you have to climb a spiral staircase of 343 steps.

Stephansdom, Stephansplatz.Tel: 515-52-35-26.www.stephanskirche.at.U1, U3: Stephansplatz.

Cathedral.Open to the public Mon-Sat 8.30-11.30, 13.00-16.30, Sun 13.00-16.30.It is forbidden to enter the main nave during the service.The nave is only open to the faithful.