St. Stephen's Cathedral is the residence of the cardinal archbishop, the greatest religious building in Vienna. The 137-meter tower has long become a symbol of the city.
St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom or Steffl for short) was consecrated in 1147. This is the residence of the cardinal archbishop, the greatest religious building in Vienna. The 137-meter tower has long become a symbol of the city. From the late Romanesque construction, begun under Frederick II, what remains is the western façade with the Giant Gate and pagan towers.
Under Rudolph IV, construction of the Gothic longitudinal nave began (from 1259), the southern tower (St. Stephen's Tower) was completed in 1433. Work on the North Tower began in 1511 by Hans Puxbaum, and in 1556 the bell tower was installed. The peak of restoration work occurred in the 19th century. However, as a result of the damage caused by the bombing in 1945, serious reconstruction efforts were required, which lasted until 1961, to which all the Federal States of Austria contributed.
One of the most significant late Romanesque works of art in Austria is the Gigantic Gate, an arched horn gate with rich sculptural decoration (c. 1240).
An indelible impression is made by the Gothic three-part longitudinal nave and early Gothic choir, in the middle part of which stained glass windows from 1340-1360 have been preserved. and a reticulated vault resting on columns.
Mostly baroque altars stand near the columns. On one of the columns, the cathedral architect Anton Pilgram installed a four-meter high Cathedra, the main work of late Gothic stone carving (1514-1515), decorated with busts of four church fathers (Ambrosius, Jerome, Pope Gregory and Augustine). At the foot of the pulpit, the master placed his self-portrait, popularly known as “The Window Gawker.”
The cathedral column also houses the Madonna of the Servants, an early Gothic statue of Mary dating back to 1320.
Particularly revered is the Pötzsch Madonna, standing under a canopy in the right nave next to the Singing Portal.
Among the outstanding sights is the tombstone of Emperor Frederick III (died 1493) - the most luxurious Gothic tombstone works by Niklas Gerchert van Leyden. Top part represents a reclining figure of the emperor, carved from red marble.
Interior of St. Stephen's Cathedral
In the high choir with Baroque seats behind the modern altar stands the black marble high altar by Johann Jacob Pok (1649-1670). Beautiful altar painting “St. Stephen Stoned" and "The Assumption of Mary" were painted by Tobias Pock. The Vienna Neustadt Altarpiece is a carved Gothic door altar donated in 1447 by Emperor Frederick III and brought from the Neustadt Neuklosterkirche.
Pec Icon of the Virgin Mary
In the hall of the northern tower there is the original “God of Toothache” (a copy of the sculpture is on the outer wall of the choir). Near the entrance to the elevator of the North Tower (at the top of which is the famous Pummerin bell) you will see the late Gothic base of the organ (the organ itself is missing), on which Anton Pilgram also placed his self-portrait.
From the north tower chapel you can descend into the catacombs, an extensive network of tunnels and rooms that served as a crypt when space in the Stephansplatz cemetery became scarce. Joseph II banned this method of burial and ordered the catacombs to be cleaned and walled up in 1872. The ducal tomb, built at the request of Rudolf IV the Founder, is currently accessible. Since the 17th century here the entrails of all the Habsburgs are kept in copper urns
St. Stephen's Cathedral is an iconic landmark of Vienna. It captivates with its Gothic architecture and interior decoration. And if you climb the tower, the views are simply magnificent!
The symbol of Vienna is St. Stephen's Cathedral on the square. The magnificent, unique, many-sided temple of Stephansdom (Stephansdom or Steffl) , The cathedral was first mentioned in the Viennese chronicles in 1221. They built it on a holy, “prayed” place. Back in the first half of the 12th century, there was a parish church here.
The three-nave Romanesque basilica, named after St. Stephen (Stephen), began to be rebuilt in 1230. The architects planned to build a temple in the late Romanesque style, and most of the building was already completed when the fire happened. Restoration of the building began only in early XIV century. The work was finally completed in 1340. The temple was built in the Gothic style.
The architecture of the temple remained Gothic, but the features of the building later changed during many reconstructions. Only in 1523, under Rudolf IV, Stefansdom acquired the appearance that has survived to this day.
South Tower (Südturm), photo camel139bf
The height of the South Tower of the temple was 136.44 m. Today you can climb this tower; 343 steps lead to the observation deck. Below stretches the beautiful Vienna, the blue Danube sparkles. On the south side the Anniger Highlands are visible; from the east - the fertile Pannonian lowland.
The cathedral was built asymmetrically: the southern tower was much higher than the northern one. The height of the North Tower is only 68.3 m. The structure was not completed for a number of reasons (it collapsed during construction). In the second half of the 16th century, the tower was crowned with a dome.
Pummerin Bell, photo Gryffindor
The north tower serves as the cathedral's bell tower. The main bell on its belfry is huge - a giant weighing more than 21 tons, with a diameter of more than 3 meters. To be more precise, the tower is now decorated with New Pummerin. The old bell, cast in the 17th century from Turkish guns captured in battle, was destroyed in a fire at the end of World War II. The fragments were collected and a new bell was made at the bell factory in the city of St. Florian. Once again, Pummerin's voice gathers parishioners to the Cathedral on major church holidays.
During the war, not only the huge bell was damaged - the entire Stefansdom was destroyed. The initiative to restore the main cathedral of Austria came from the residents of Vienna. People sent money for reconstruction, donated personal religious valuables to the temple, and brought building materials. Many volunteers worked on the restoration.
Seven years have passed since the war, and the renovated Stefansdom opened its doors to the Viennese and guests of the capital.
Interior decoration of Stefansdom, photo by Arjo Stokman
The cathedral is magnificent not only from the outside. It houses the most valuable relics, religious objects, and works of art. The decoration of the temple preserves original sculptures, Gothic stained glass windows, beautiful altars, plastic and relief images of saints created by famous sculptors.
Pulpit (photo by Craig Elliott)
A true masterpiece of stone cutting, the openwork pulpit is believed to have been made by Nikolaus Gerhart in the 15th century. The main pulpit, depicting the church fathers (16th century), was created by Anton Pilgram.
The temple also preserves ancient tombs: tombstones of imperial persons, cathedral rectors, noble people, scientists, and architects. Here lie Rudolf IV, Frederick III, Eugene of Savoy, 72 members of the Habsburg dynasty (but most of their “graves” are symbolic, since in Stephasndom only the insides of monarchs were buried since 1633, their bodies were buried in the Capuchin Church, and their hearts were at St. Augustine's Church).
After restoration, Stefandom became a center of attraction for researchers, historians, art historians and tourists from all over the world. Two million guests visit the cathedral every year.
Mon-Sat from 06:00 to 22:00,
Sun and on holidays from 07:00 to 22:00.
Visiting time:
Mon-Sat from 09:00 to 11:30 and from 13:00 to 16:30;
Sun and holidays from 13:00 to 16:30.
Ticket price:
adults – €6.00;
children (6-14 years old) – €2.50;
children under 6 years old – free.
Time spending:
on German: Mon-Sun at 15:00;
on English language: Mon-Sat at 10:30.
Ticket price:
adult – €6.00;
children (under 14 years old) – €2.50.
Under eastern part The cathedral has catacombs - there, in the 18th century, by order of Charles IV, dead citizens were buried.
Excursion times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 – 11:30 and 13:30 – 16:30;
Sun and holidays 13:30 – 16:30.
Ticket price:
adults – €6.00;
children (6-14 years old) – €2.50;
children under 6 years old – free.
Tower operating hours:
Mon-Sun 09:00 – 17:30.
Price:
adult – €5.00;
children (15-18 years old) – €3.00;
children (6-14 years old) – €2.00.
Tower operating hours:
Mon-Sun 09:00 – 17:30.
Ticket price:
adults – €6.00;
children (6-14 years old) – €2.50;
children under 6 years old – €0.50.
The cost of a ticket with an audio guide for a full visit to the cathedral (catacombs, two towers and a treasury) is €14.90.
Sunday masses in Stefansdom begin at 10:30 am from September to June; at 9:30 – in July-August.
Take metro lines U1, U3 to Stephansplatz station.
It's very simple - look not only on booking. I prefer the search engine RoomGuru. He searches for discounts on Booking and 70 other booking sites simultaneously.
Friends, hello! St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna is one of the most famous temples in Europe, leaving no one indifferent. I was stunned by this grandiose cathedral while exploring the sights of Vienna. Moreover, I climbed 343 steps to climb to the observation deck of the highest cathedral tower and see Vienna from above. I will be happy to share my impressions with you.
The peers of this temple, which I have already seen in, and in, and in, are no less stunning, but the main cathedral of Vienna significantly surpasses them in height, since its tower soars 137 meters into the sky.
St. Stephen's Cathedral was built in several stages, starting its history with earlier Romanesque churches. The great religious building, which is not only, but also the national symbol of Austria, requires close attention, therefore in this article:
I would like to note that in Vienna there are several objects that are perceived by tourists as the main ones. Some people think that they are all located within the same area, so clarification will be required here.
Absolutely all visitors to Vienna want to see St. Stephen's Cathedral and the City Hall. These attractions are located close to each other, but still not nearby. If we take the Hofburg palace complex as a starting point, then from it to the city hall you need to go through one direction, and to St. Stephen - in the opposite direction, through one of the courtyards of the Hofburg.
To get to the temple from the St. Michael's Gate of the Hofburg, which faces Michaelerplatz, just walk along one of the central streets of historical Vienna - Kohlmarkt, and then turn onto the equally famous pedestrian street. And very soon your gaze will stop at the high Gothic tower:
Yes, you are approaching the famous Viennese Cathedral, which occupies the entire central part of the square of the same name. Stephansdom - this is what the Austrians call their Cathedral.
The first small parish church in the Romanesque style appeared on the same site in the 12th century, and in the next century it was expanded and a western wall with a portal was built. Despite the fact that the Church of St. Stephen suffered from destruction several times, was completed and rebuilt many times, the western Romanesque wall was partially preserved in the modern version of the cathedral:
At the beginning of the 14th century, during the reigns of Albert I and Albert II, they again decided to expand the church, but this time in an eastern direction. This is how the choirs appeared, which still form the eastern part of the cathedral and are called the Albert Choirs:
And in 1359, Rudolf IV laid the foundation for a grandiose reconstruction of the cathedral in the Gothic style. The reconstruction implied the preservation of the western Romanesque façade and the Albert Choir, and the southern and northern sides of the building were to be expanded inner space, so they began to be erected outside the walls of the church operating at that time.
Construction began with the south tower and its construction was completed only in 1433:
The height of the tower is 136.44 m. Therefore, it is almost impossible to see it all while standing at the walls of the cathedral. Here is my attempt to photograph the southern part of Stephansdom:
There is also a tower on the north side of the cathedral, which appeared later. Work on the construction of this bell tower began in 1450, then stopped in early XVI century, and completed the building only in 1579 with a Renaissance dome.
Already in the 20th century, in the post-war years, when both Vienna and the cathedral were being restored after destruction, the northern bell tower was rebuilt again, since its upper part collapsed along with the Pummerin bell.
We were just looking at St. Stephen with its incredibly tall tower on the south side. We continue to walk around the cathedral in the direction of the Albert Choirs and pay attention to the details of the structure. On the walls of the cathedral there are several panels reflecting biblical scenes.
If you move a short distance, due to the steep slope of the roof, you can clearly see the coats of arms decorating it. The roof looks great and ends on the choir side with this pyramid:
230 thousand pieces of colored tiles were used for the roof of the cathedral, but not in vain.
And finally, I found a point from which almost the entire cathedral can be seen, at least relatively:
From here you can clearly see the northern tower, under the dome of which there is the Pummerin bell. "Buzzing" means its name. The bell was cast in 1951 to replace the one that was damaged during the war years. It weighs more than 21 tons, and it rings only on special holidays several times a year. In addition to the “Humming” bell, there are 22 more bells installed on the bell tower, and each of them rings at the appointed time.
There is an observation deck on the north tower, which can be reached by elevator.
But, if you consider that the height of the northern tower is 68 meters, then its observation deck is not that high. So we'll go up to the south tower... even though there's no elevator.
We continue our inspection of the north side of the building. And now we have a Gothic wall in front of us:
Now I’m probably going to say a seditious thought, but for some reason these Gothic turrets reminded me of the basilica in Barcelona. This must be unacceptable, because the work of Antoni Gaudi excludes straight lines and sharp corners, which form the basis of Gothic. But to me, an amateur, this similarity comes to mind when I look at this part of the wall of the Vienna Cathedral.
And we complete the bypass of the grandiose Stephansdom and turn to the Romanesque façade where the main entrance to the cathedral. The upper part of the facade has undergone changes and is now decorated with a pair of elegant towers.
While at the entrance, let's take the opportunity to see what St. Stephen's Cathedral looks like inside. You can only enter a small area at the beginning of the hall, followed by a grate. Since there were no tour groups in the hall, it is likely that excursions to the cathedral are only available at certain times. I’m not aware of this issue, so I won’t say anything, but will demonstrate the hall that everyone who enters the cathedral sees:
There are three organs in the cathedral. One can only imagine what the acoustics are like here, and how the music of Mozart and other Austrian talents sounds. The cathedral often hosts concerts of sacred music.
I would really like to attend a concert at Stephansdom, but for now that is in the future, and in the present we have another visit - we are going to the south tower of the cathedral.
We intend to climb to the observation deck of the highest tower of the cathedral. Of course, it is far from being at the top of the tower, but above all the components of the structure. At the entrance there is an extremely informative sign:
Having paid the entrance fee, we began to climb the ancient spiral stone staircase in the rather narrow cylinder of the tower. The movement is hampered by the fact that visitors descend along the same stairs and many of those passing by are far from thin and slender...
If in the White Tower after modern restoration you can safely walk around spiral staircase a whole group, and in Prague, when climbing the Petřín observation tower, separate stairs are provided for ascent and descent, then climbing the tower of the Vienna Cathedral is a kind of test. I admit, the climb was tiring until we reached the first platform where we could catch our breath:
This is a small room where you can stand on the sidelines, and in which, to the delight of those climbing, it is light)) After a short break, another push - and we find ourselves in a small hall, which serves as an observation deck. Here they can provide first aid to someone who has not calculated his strength and who has been knocked down by numerous steps:
But the main reason why visitors climb to such a height is the views of Vienna with its domes and towers and mountain range on the horizon:
The panorama on the southern side highlights the domes on Maria Theresa Square, and the Hofburg is located closer to the cathedral. In the photo it can be recognized by numerous sculptures and golden balls on the pediment.
We walked around the perimeter of the room and looked out of each window to see Vienna from all sides, and then went down the same spiral staircase, which on the way back seemed half as long))
But we didn’t stop there, we also walked around the cathedral until our attention was caught by a shop selling signature Viennese sweets. I was especially interested in the Mozart candies. Where can you buy them if not in Vienna!
In conclusion, I will say that there are many attractions in the capital of Austria, but St. Stephen's Cathedral perhaps makes the strongest impression. Whether you plan to conquer the south tower or limit yourself to an inspection, Stephansdom will make you admire it repeatedly. Friends, I wish both myself and you to one day attend a concert in this grandiose cathedral.
Your euro guide Tatyana
In Moscow there is the Kremlin, in Berlin there is the Brandenburg Gate, and what about in Vienna? The city center and symbol of Vienna for many centuries has been the main Catholic shrine - St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephensdom). It cannot be confused with other European Catholic cathedrals for a very simple reason - of the two high towers with spiers due to it, only one was completed. As in St. Petersburg, Stefansdom does not belong to christian church, and the city. Which leaves its mark on his visit.
1. The cathedral was built for three and a half centuries, and before us is the oldest part of it built. These are the Romanesque towers and portal (1230-1245). And the first church on this site was built in 1147, when Yuri Dolgoruky first mentioned the name of Moscow in a letter. 
2. In the 15th century, high Gothic towers with spiers began to be built, but only the southern one could be built (pictured). In 1511, construction of the cathedral ceased, and the north tower remained unfinished. 
3. On the wall of the temple, medieval Viennese length standards made of metal strips have been preserved. The circle on the wall was the standard for the size of the bread being baked. 
4. Upon entering the temple, one immediately notices the fence dividing the hall into two zones. Anyone can enter the first zone; here you can sit, pray and light a candle. But to enter the central nave and the main altar you need to buy a ticket. Also, the ticket price may include a visit to the reliquary museum, climbing the north and south towers, as well as an excursion to the catacombs. This ticket is valid for several days. 
5. The central Gothic nave of the cathedral is dedicated to St. Stephen. 
6. On one of the columns there is a pulpit with unique carvings. 
7.
8.
9. The author of the department was the sculptor Anton Pilgram (1460-1516), who depicted himself “supporting” a balcony on the northern wall of the cathedral. 
10. The southern nave is dedicated to the twelve apostles. One of the three organs of the temple is installed in it. 
11. There are a whole lot of small altars here, as well as a bed for imperial persons (on the right in the photo). 
12. All altars are decorated with sculptures of the apostles. 
13.
14. The northern nave is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is crowned by the Neustadt altar. 
15. Detail of the 15th century altar. 
16. Many of the cathedral’s abbots are buried in the temple. 
17. And under this magnificent tombstone lies the body of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor. The famous Prince Eugene of Savoy is also buried in the cathedral. 
18. Main altar. 
19. On the occasion of the New Year, it was decorated with fir trees and bouquets of flowers. 
20. Sculpture of the Virgin Mary crowning the altar of St. Stephen. 
21. Most of the stained glass in the cathedral has been preserved. 
22. Antique glass in the doors leading to the ode of six chapels attached to the main room. 
23. A huge Romanesque window is located behind the main organ. 
24. The main organ of the cathedral was installed in 1960; the previous one was destroyed in a fire in 1945. 
25. It is decorated with figures of flying angels and is the largest in Austria. 
26. The organ has 125 registers and 10 thousand organ pipes. 
27. It is controlled by four rows of keyboards and pedals. 
28.
29. After admiring the organ, we will pass the cathedral reliquary museum. 
30. On the way, you can see up close the blocked window on the Romanesque façade. 
31.
32. Hall vaults. 
33. The reliquary contains various objects used in worship. 
34.
35.
36. Persian glass vessels. 
37. Pommel of the archbishop's staff. 
38.
39. One of the lists of the miraculous Pec icon. 
40. Upon closer examination, it turned out that the halos were decorated with a relief pattern, and the board itself was eaten away by woodworms. 
41. Also collected here are a significant number of arks for holy relics. 
42. Bones are stored on the shelves of cabinets and in the vault. 
43. There is even a whole glassed-in coffin. 
44. Skulls. 
45.
46. Pelvic bone. 
47. Leg bones. 
48. But most of the bones are kept under the floor of the cathedral and the adjacent square. In the 18th century, up to 11 thousand bodies were buried in the catacombs, an underground cemetery. Now many bones are dumped in disorder in underground casemates. You can go there on a guided tour, but photography is prohibited, so here is a photo from the Internet. 
49. Another opportunity that we couldn’t help but take advantage of was climbing the towers. The spiral staircase leading to the north tower was dismantled, and instead an elevator with a round cabin was built into the shaft. 
50. At the top we find ourselves on a large open area, on which the tower spire was to be erected. 
51. From the fenced area there is a beautiful view of the tiled roof of the cathedral. 
52. The roof covering consists of 230 thousand colored tiles. They lined images of the coats of arms of Austria and Vienna. 
53. And also a view of the Gothic lace of the neighboring tower. 
54. And to the city, of course. 
55. Another symbol of Vienna is the old Ferris wheel in Prater Park. 
56. And on the horizon you can see giant wind generators rotating their blades. 
57. The chimney of the Spittelau incineration plant, designed by the famous architect Hundertwasser, is smoking. 
58. The chimneys of the Simmering power plant are smoking. If desired, in the photo you can see the top of the combat anti-aircraft tower No. 5 in Arenbergpark and the domes of the Viennese gasometers. 
59. The main bell, Pummerin, weighing 21 tons, is installed in the same tower. The original bell was cast in 1711 and was destroyed in a fire in 1945. 
60. Climbing the south tower is only on foot along a terribly narrow spiral staircase. The staircase is so narrow that it is very difficult to pass oncoming tourists. 
61. Inhabitants of the tower. 
62. At the top we find ourselves in small room with a souvenir shop. 
63. The walls of the room are decorated like 19th century inscriptions. 
64. So are the newer ones left by our compatriots. As we remember, it was Soviet troops who liberated Vienna. 
65. From here the views of the city are even more breathtaking. 
66. Vienna is a very even city in terms of number of floors, only in a few places it was allowed to build high-rise buildings. 
67. Belvedere Palace. 
68. Dome of St. Peter's Church. 
69. Minoritenkirche and City Hall. 
70. St. Michael's Church, Hofburg and the Austrian Parliament. 
71. From the tower you can see the city right up to the very outskirts. 
72. That's all. Whoever read to the end - well done! 
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the main landmark of Vienna, national symbol Austria and the city of Vienna, a national treasure and one of the most famous monuments of medieval European architecture, and it is not possible to bypass it with your attention even if you come to the city for one day. Romanesque “Giant Gates”, Gothic decoration, decorative details of the Renaissance and Baroque era - the thousand-year history of art in Central Europe is embodied in the decoration of the temple.
Getting there is very easy - on all Vienna metro maps the cathedral is marked with a picture of its characteristic silhouette. The cathedral is located on St. Stephen's Square, and the metro station is called Stephansplatz, from the metro you will go straight to the cathedral, you don't need to go anywhere else.
You can enter the cathedral for free, you won’t be allowed to go far or you will have to pretend to be a believer, believers can do it for free, tourists can pay for it, just like in .
A full ticket, which includes a climb to both towers, an audio guide in Russian around the cathedral itself, and a tour of the cathedral catacombs in German and English costs:
We got tickets on a special offer, probably during the low tourist season, which is when discounts apply.
Tickets can be purchased at the foot of the south tower. In addition, you can buy separate tickets only to where you want to go; for each of the listed options, an adult ticket costs 5 euros. Please note that the catacombs are only accessible on a timed tour.
Entrance to the stairs of the South Tower, tickets are also sold there
We took full tickets and started from the South Tower of the cathedral. This is the highest tower of the cathedral and you will have to climb it on foot. There is one platform for relaxation there, but it is quite high. The staircase is very narrow and there is movement up and down, making it quite difficult to pass.
On the most upper platform There is a souvenir shop, there is heating, you will have to take pictures through the glass.
View of Vienna from the South Tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral After descending, we went to inspect the cathedral, but it turned out that there would be a service in the cathedral until 13:00 and all tourists were asked to wait. It should be noted that there were many believers, almost a whole cathedral, and some of them sang very well, I did not expect to see such religious zeal, in the summer in Turku we saw a service, there were no more than 10 believers.
During the service, the cathedral was fully illuminated, it remained on for only 10 minutes after it ended, then the lights were turned off and tourists examined the treasures of the cathedral in the twilight - German economy in action, provided that we paid for the tickets.
The area around St. Stephen's Cathedral is not at all large and it is not possible to photograph it entirely. So we took a few photos from a distance.
The gigantic portal of St. Stephen's Cathedral, which preserved the Romanesque walls built in 1230-1245 The oldest walls have been preserved in the western facade; there is a dragon bone built in above the entrance, as was previously thought, but now scientists have established that it is a mammoth bone, which is why the western facade received the name Gigantic portal. Located nearby Pagan towers, so named because in their construction they used material from former cult ancient Roman buildings.
There is a parking lot for tourist cabs near the walls of St. Stephen's Cathedral. A ride in a cab costs only 55 euros, which is terrible if you convert it into rubles at the current exchange rate. All the horses are bundled up from the rain in Gore-Tex, and there is a characteristic manure smell next to the cabs. In winter, a rather dubious pleasure, riding in a fiacre, the window there is small, it rains and it’s all in drops, so you won’t be able to see Vienna from the fiacre.
Fiacres at the walls of St. Stephen's Cathedral Recently, due to the crisis in Ukraine, the Chair of St. John of Capistrana has gained popularity on the Internet. Saint John of Capistrana became famous for calling for war with the infidels, but for some reason, under his feet, the sculptor depicted one of the heroes of the film “Taras Bulba”, it turns out that he considered the Ukrainians to be infidels or are they still Turks? I made inquiries, the Turks did not wear hairstyles like Oseledets, which means he is a Zaporozhye Cossack. Obviously in those days, Turks and Cossacks were equally infidels for the inhabitants of Vienna.
Chair of St. John of Capistrana From the rear façade of the cathedral there is a figure of Christ, nicknamed “The Lord Suffering from Toothache.” There is a legend about young men who laughed at the statue. They were struck by a terrible toothache, the poor people could not do anything, and relief came only after a prayer of repentance.
Crucifix “with a toothache”, so called because of the expression on the Savior’s face Bronze copy of the cathedral, 100 times smaller than the original. The explanatory note on it is written in Braille. There is one of the Christmas markets around the cathedral.
Model of St. Stephen's Cathedral North tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral
Initially they wanted to build two identical towers, but as often happens, it didn’t work out and now the northern tower is significantly lower than the southern one, but inside it there is an elevator with a lift operator, and there is an open air at the top Observation deck. It’s worth going up there to get a better look at the cathedral’s magnificent roof made of colored majolica tiles.
North tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna 
Roof of St. Stephen's Cathedral Vienna survived two Turkish sieges. The first was a three-week period in 1528. In 1683, the siege lasted for 3 months. The Turks, standing on the territory of the current Spitelberg quarter, fired more than 1000 cannonballs into Vienna. One of them got stuck in the wall of the South Tower. On it, the townspeople carved the face of the Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa (the core can only be seen through binoculars).
Model of the altar in honor of the lifting of the Turkish siege In the premises of the cathedral, in memory of the Turkish sieges, a large-scale altar was installed, which was destroyed in a fire in 1945. The cathedral survived the bombing of the last war and the operation to capture Vienna, but was severely damaged by a fire that spread to it from a market plundered by looters. The cathedral burned for three days, the vault of the cathedral collapsed, the giant Pummerin bell fell from its suspension and destroyed the North Tower when it fell. Restoration work are being carried out to this day, many relics have survived, because were protected by protective sarcophagi.
Surviving figures of the altar in honor of the lifting of the Turkish siege Below is a photo of the 14-sided baptismal font in St. Catherine's Chapel (1481). decorated with reliefs of the main characters of the Gospel.
St Catherine's Chapel in the South Tower 
Altar of St. Catherine in the south tower According to legend, the servant of one countess, accused of theft, begged Madonna for support in front of this sculpture. The real robber was caught, and the countess pardoned the maid. According to another version, the sculpture adorned the women's choir, where the earliest services were held, attended only by servants who got up much earlier than their masters.
Statue of Madonna - protector of servants Emperor Frederick III ordered the sarcophagus in his youth. The pedestal of the massive stone tomb is decorated with fabulous and terrible animals, and there are also bones and skulls - symbols of the emperor’s sins. The reliefs on the walls of the coffin symbolize his good endeavors. In the upper part, numerous church ministers from the monasteries founded by the crown bearer pray for the salvation of Frederick’s immortal soul. They say that whoever looks at the lid of the sarcophagus will protect himself from sudden death for a whole year, but this can only be done by using a stepladder, since the sarcophagus is too high.
Sarcophagus of Frederick III in the Apostolic Nave The most basic altar of dark marble was made already in the Baroque era and is one of the first altars in Vienna made in this then new style.
High altar of St. Stephen's Cathedral (1640-1660) The Wiener Neustadt Altarpiece is decorated with expressive painted wooden reliefs (72 saints and scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary), framed by Gothic ornaments. It was created at the direction of Emperor Frederick III and was kept for a long time in the monastery of Wiener Neustadt.
Wiener Neustadt Altar The Gothic cathedra of the bishop is full of symbolism, no matter what associations the sculptor turns to, but residents of the 21st century cannot understand the deep intention of the author without proper explanations. In many details of the department there is a contrast between the heavenly number 3 (Holy Trinity) and the earthly number 4, which reminds us of our mortal life, for example, we have 4 seasons, 4 main temperaments can be distinguished among people, etc.
Episcopal see 1480 The tour begins in the North Tower of the cathedral; entry to the catacombs is only possible with a guide. He speaks first in German, then repeats in English, clearly separating the words and not quickly, i.e. With an average command of the language it is quite possible to understand. You can't take photographs there.
The catacombs themselves are divided into several rooms. The first rooms look completely civilized. The Viennese bishops are buried there, standing at the sarcophagus of the last bishop fresh flowers, candles are burning, i.e. the grateful parishioners have not yet forgotten him. Then we went into the room where Duke Rudolf VI is buried, and nearby on the shelves in saucepans are internal organs Habsburgs. Phew, what else can be said about this.
Then the very dark dungeons began, which used to be part of the cemetery located around the cathedral, many bones and skulls. In total, about 11,000 people are buried in the catacombs, including those who died during the plague epidemic.
Many tombstones are now mounted in the outer walls of the cathedral.
Tombstones on external walls St. Stephen's Cathedral For those who want to see the catacombs, but do not want to pay for it, we can advise visiting the Chapel of St. Virgil below at the entrance to the metro station. Its construction dates back to 1230 and over many centuries it turned out to be 12 m below the modern level of the area.
Chapel of St. Virgil in the metro While visiting the cathedral, we received incomparable impressions, immersed ourselves in history, learned a lot of new things, enjoyed the magnificent panorama of Vienna from the towers of the Cathedral, and experienced the horror of the dungeons. We recommend everyone to have a detailed tour of the cathedral, it’s worth it.
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