St. Stephen's Cathedral (Vienna)
St. Stephen's Cathedral, affectionately called the Stephansdom, stands at the very heart of Vienna and is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna. Rising from Romanesque foundations consecrated in 1147, the cathedral was transformed into a towering Gothic masterpiece over the following centuries, its 136-metre south tower, nicknamed "Steffl," becoming the beloved symbol of the Austrian capital.
The cathedral's most distinctive feature is its steeply pitched roof, blazing with around a quarter of a million glazed tiles laid in zigzag patterns and bold emblems, including the double-headed imperial eagle of the Habsburgs. Inside, the building treasures the Gothic pulpit of Anton Pilgram, the tomb of Emperor Frederick III, and catacombs holding the remains of Habsburg notables and thousands of plague victims.
Gutted by fire in the closing days of World War II, the Stephansdom was rebuilt through donations from across Austria, its great Pummerin bell recast as a national symbol of recovery. Today more than six million people a year pass through its doors, climbing the towers, attending Mass, or simply pausing in the bustling square it has anchored for over 800 years.
- Annual visitors
- ≈ 6,000,000
- Location
- 48.2085, 16.3730
- Local time
- 00:35 (Europe/Vienna)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon–Sat | 09:00–11:30 |
| Sun | 13:00–16:30 |
Tourist sightseeing windows around services; weekdays also reopen ~13:00-16:30. Building open daily ~06:00-22:00.
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Saint Stephen Saint
Patron (protomartyr); High Altar depicts his stoning.
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Saint Valentine Saint
Bones kept in St Valentine's Chapel along with hundreds of relics.
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Saint Leopold Saint
Patron of Austria, depicted on the High Altar.
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Saint Florian Saint
Regional patron depicted on the High Altar.
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Saint Catherine of Alexandria Saint
Baptismal chapel dedicated to her in the south tower.
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Saint Barbara Saint
Meditation chapel dedicated to her in the north tower.
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John of Capistrano Saint
Outdoor Capistran pulpit commemorates his 1456 preaching.
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Saint Sebastian Saint
Depicted among the patron figures on the High Altar.
Care & donations
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna / Dombauhütte St. Stephan
Supported by the Verein zur Erhaltung des Stephansdoms; donations and admission fees fund upkeep
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