St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Snapshot
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Prices & Opening Times
Prices
All-Inclusive-Ticket
Adults: € 20.00 | Children (6 to 14): €5.00
Cathedral visits with audio guide:
Adults: € 6.00 | Children (6 to 14): €2.50
North Tower (Pummerin)
Adults: € 6.00 | Children (6 to 14): €2.50
Opening hours: 9.00 – 17.30 (17.15 last chance to ascent!)
South Tower
Adults: € 5.50 | Children (6 to 14): €2.00
Opening hours: 9.00 – 17.30 (17.15 last chance to climb!)
Catacombs tour
Adults: € 6.00 | Children (6 to 14): €2.50
10.00, 11.00, 11.30, 13.30, 14.30, 15.30 and 16.30 (Mo. – Sa.)
13.30, 14.30, 15.30 and 16.30 (Su. & holidays)
Meeting place: Entrance to the catacombs (inside the cathedral)
Opening times
Visiting times
9.00 am – 11.30 am | 1.00 pm – 4.30 pm (Mon to Sat)
1.00 pm to 4.30 pm (Sun & public holidays)
May change for liturgical reasons
Opening times as church
6.00 am – 10.00 pm (Mon – Sat)
7.00 am – 10.00 pm (Sun & holidays)
Highlights & Photos
Highlights
- The Tiled Roof: The cathedral’s striking roof is covered with nearly 230,000 vibrant tiles, arranged in the pattern of the Habsburg coat of arms.
- The Windows: The five ancient stained-glass windows behind the main altar depict biblical scenes.
- The Organ: The West Choir organ, with 125 stops and 10,000 pipes
- The North Tower: The North Tower, crowned with a cupola, houses the massive 21 tons Pummerin bell.
- The High Altar: The Baroque-style high altar was created in 1647.
Photos
How to get there
Location
Stephansplatz 3
Catacombs tour Meeting place
Entrance to the catacombs (inside the cathedral)
Transports
Underground (“Stephansplatz” station): U1, U3
Bus: 1A and 3A
History Timeline
1137: The foundation stone for the first Romanesque church of St. Stephen’s Cathedral is laid in Vienna, Austria.
1147: The first Romanesque church is consecrated (likely only a partial consecration).
1200-1225: Construction begins on the second Romanesque church.
1304: The Gothic choir is added to the cathedral.
1433: The South Tower is completed.
1450: Construction of the North Tower begins.
1511: The construction of the North Tower is discontinued.
1578: A domed cap is added to the unfinished North Tower.
1732: Catacombs are established beneath the cathedral square as underground burial sites.
1945: St. Stephen’s Cathedral sustains significant damage during World War II.
1948-1952: The cathedral is restored and rebuilt to its pre-war appearance.
Eat & Drink nearby
Plachutta Wollzeile
Wollzeile 38, Vienna
Phone: +43 1 5121577
Website (english version)
11.30 am to 11.30 pm (Daily)
Kitchen closes: 11.00 pm
Known for their traditional Viennese cuisine, particularly their Tafelspitz (boiled beef) and various kinds of Knödel (dumplings)
Zum Schwarzen Kameel
Bognergasse 5, Vienna
Phone: +43 1 5338125
Website (german only)
8.00 am to midnight (Daily)
A gourmet restaurant that serves traditional Viennese cuisine with a modern twist
Café Central
Herrengasse 14, Vienna
Phone: +43 1 5333763
Website (english version)
08.00 a.m. – 09.00 p.m. (Monday to Saturday)
10.00 a.m. – 09.00 p.m. (Sunday & public holidays)
A historic café that has been in operation since 1876, and was a popular hangout spot for intellectuals and artists during the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Live piano music from 03:30 – 08:30 p.m. except on Tuesdays
We may earn a commission from affiliate links
Full Guide
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St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna, is the most iconic building for Catholics in Vienna. It is also an important historical site respected throughout Austria and the world.
It is also one of the most famous Gothic buildings in Vienna. It has a spire that is 137 meters high and a roof that is very ornately decorated. Only the Giant Door and the Heathen Towers (Heidentürme) are left of the original building from the 13th century. Inside, there are a lot of beautiful works of art, such as a tomb made of red marble, the biggest bell in Austria, and a Gothic altar with wings that dates back to 1447.
The Cathedral is a place of worship and is very important in history. It was also where Mozart married Constanze Mozart in 1782.
Origin of the name
Since 1469, a bishop has lived in this church, named after St. Stephen, the first Christian to die for his faith.
The history of St. Stephen’s Cathedral reflects the history of Wien. The site was a burial ground for Romans two millennia ago. In 1137, the Cathedral’s first foundation was laid over a Roman cemetery. In 1258, a fire completely destroyed this building, which had been constructed in 1160. The church was reconstructed with two towers and rededicated in 1263. The most significant expansion transpired over two hundred years, from 1304 to 1511. Stephansdom suffered other adversities that also befell Vienna. These included the bubonic plague in 1679, the Siege of Vienna by Napoleon in 1809, and war damage in 1945. The Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral in German) has grown and changed over time, with major restoration work following the WWII bombing and the addition of towers and other features.
Finally, world-famous composers attended Stephansdom, including Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Sections of that Romanesque structure are still standing, most notably the front door (called Riesentor, meaning Giant’s Door).
The outside of the Cathedral is made of walls made of limestone with statues that have a lot of detail. The design is a combination of the Romanesque and Gothic styles of architecture.
Rooftop
The most striking thing about the Cathedral is the Stephansdom Roof, which is made of multi-coloured tiles with a diamond pattern in white, yellow, green, and brown. People think this cathedral roof is fancy because it has a mosaic of different coloured tiles. On one side of the mosaic is the Habsburg symbol, an eagle with two heads. On the other side is the city’s coat of arms. Stepping out to the edges of Stephenspaltz is the best way to see the roof.
On the south side of the roof, there is a black, double-headed Imperial eagle that stands out from the 230,000 tiles that make up the ceramic mosaic.
Bells
The towers contain 23 bells, some of which are the most exquisite and magnificent in Europe. The North Tower’s Pummerin bell is by far the most glorious of these bells. It is the second-largest church bell in Europe, weighing little more than 44 pounds.
On the north side, visitors can see the coats of arms for both the city of Vienna and the country of Austria. And the cannonballs that the Turks used to destroy the Cathedral were used to make the bell in the northern tower.
The two oldest parts of the church are the Roman Towers and the Giant’s Door.
Towers
The south tower of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna rises to an impressive 136 meters (446 feet). Stefan is the name given to it by the locals (a smaller version of “Stephen”). Its construction lasted from 1368 until 1433. During the Siege of Vienna in 1529 and the Battle of Vienna in 1683, it was the central place where the people defending the city walls gave orders and watched what was going on. Even the guards who, up until 1955, stood vigil at the tower at night and rang the bells if a fire was seen in the city had their residence in the tower. At the top of the tower is a double eagle imperial emblem with the Habsburg-Lorraine coat of arms. It represents the Apostolic Majesty of the Hungarian kings. This emblem has replaced the crescent and star. The original sign and the first few different versions of it are both in the Vienna City Museum.
Building on the north tower, which was supposed to be a copy of the south tower, was halted in 1511. The Renaissance cap, affectionately known as the “water tower top,” was placed on the tower stump in 1578. At its present height of 68 meters, the tower is only half as tall as the south tower.
The two Roman Towers, or Heidentürme, are on the left and right of the “Giant door.” Each one is about 65 meters tall. The name of the towers comes from the fact that they were built out of the pieces of old buildings that the Romans had built when they lived in the area.
Giant door
As you stroll into the Cathedral, the Late Romanesque Giant’s Door will be the first thing you see. The main door to the building is called the “Giant’s Door.” It is known for its vibrant decoration of dragons, birds, lions, monks, and mythical creatures. Above the Giant’s Door is a tympanum with a picture of Christ Pantocrator between two angels with wings.
The main church entryway is known as the “Riesentor,” meaning “Giant’s Door.” There are several hypotheses about its etymology, but the most widely held is that it alludes to the thighbone.
Altars
More than forty are around the church, including in several chapels. The High Altar, erected in the middle of the 17th century, is a crucial structure to see. In addition to depicting the stoning of Saint Stephen, the altar is adorned with statues of several additional patron saints. The Wiener Neustadter Altar is likewise worthy of admiration for its beauty. It dates to the middle of the 15th century and was commissioned by Emperor Frederick III, buried in the Cathedral and whose tomb may be visited.
Pulpit
The pulpit is situated on the northern side of the middle nave. Built entirely of limestone quarried from the grounds of Breitenbrunn, it is a masterpiece of the Late Gothic style. A six-pointed star seems to have sliced a stone blossom in two to create the foundation. It supports the section of the pulpit that houses the busts of the four Latin Church Fathers as well as a “stem” depicting apostles and saints. Alligator lizards and frogs are scurrying up the pulpit’s balustrade as the congregation makes its way up the winding, pillar-bound stairs. A mediaeval architect is seen behind the pulpit.
Catacombs
A passage under the North Tower will get you there. They can only be seen on a guided tour and stretch from the Cathedral Choir to Stephansplatz, where the bones of about 10,000 people who lived in Vienna are kept (this part is not open to the public).
At the end of the 14th century, the Catacombs were built to hold the bodies of people whose graves had already been taken. They were no longer in use after 1783. The Ducal Vault was commissioned by Rudolf IV and constructed for the Habsburgs in 1363. It has recently surpassed all other tourist destinations.
Show up early.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral is one of the busiest places in Vienna. As the day continues, more people come to see it. Go early in the morning to avoid crowds and have a quieter time.
With the all-in-one ticket, you can save money.
Suppose you want to see everything the Cathedral has to offer. In that case, it’s cheaper and easier to buy a combo ticket than to pay for each area separately.
Keep to the rules.
Remember that the Cathedral is a place of worship, and dress and act accordingly. Cover your shoulders and knees, and you shouldn’t use your phone inside the church unless you take a picture.
Be fit to roam around and climb
Without an elevator, the South Tower’s 343 stairs are no joke, so you’ll need to be in decent shape if you want to do the climb.
Tickets
You can buy your tour tickets at St. Stephen’s Cathedral. A ticket booth may be found inside, off to the left. If you have a voucher, show it to the cashier.
Stephansplatz
The square is the central place to shop in the city and is also an excellent place to start going to other attractions.
Historical Center of Vienna
Vienna’s historic centre is one of the most beautiful city landmarks in Europe because it is all connected. UNESCO has named the historic centre of Vienna a World Heritage Site. It means that St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Hofburg, and the like are among the 700 most important cultural and natural landmarks.
Wien Museum Mozart apartment
The Wien Museum owns the Mozart apartment and is restoring it. The apartment is part of the “Mozarthaus Vienna,” which is run by the museum. Mozarthaus Vienna shows the life and work of the musical genius Wolfgang Amadé Mozart, focusing on his time in Vienna from 1781 to 1791. It is in a unique location in the centre of Vienna near St. Stephan’s Cathedral. Domgasse 5 is the only one of Mozart’s Vienna apartments still standing today. From 1784 to 1787, he lived in grand style at Mozarthaus Vienna. He didn’t write more music anywhere else. Not only can people see the historic apartment, but they can also see a large display of Mozart’s best works and information about the time when he lived.
Haas Haus
Hans Hollien, an Austrian architect and winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, worked on several projects that had a significant impact on the Modernist style of architecture in Vienna. The Haas Haus complex is one of his most important works. The Haas Haus is a well-known piece of postmodern architecture in Vienna, Austria. It is in the middle of St. Stephen’s Square. Several things make this building famous.
Anker Clock
The Anker Clock is not just any clock. It was designed by the painter and sculptor Franz Matsch when he was at the top of his career, making this clock between 1911 and 1914. It has a typical Art Nouveau style. The Anker Clock connects the two parts of the building of the Anker Insurance Company. But that’s not all that makes it unique. Inside the watch are statues of more than 12 famous people, each changing every hour. People come from all over the world to watch the personalities change. Every day at noon, all figures parade while period music plays. Christmas carols are sung during Advent at 5 and 6 p.m. every day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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