Knowing The Top 10 Features Of Stephansdom

Stephansdom is kind of Cathedral in Vienna. It was old-fashioned building, but it had many historical things, included the materials that built it. There are top ten of features of Stephansdom. They are:

West Front

The two Romanesque Heathen Towers flanking the Giant’s Door, and two Gothic side chapels with filigree stone rose windows, are a spectacular welcome to the cathedral.

Giant’s Door

The main gate into the cathedral was named after a mammoth’s bone that was found on the site during construction works in the 15th century. It is decorated with Romanesque sculptures depicting Christ on Judgment Day between two angels.

Tiled Roof

The impressive roof is covered with almost 250,000 colorful tiles laid out in the Habsburg coat of arms– a double-headed eagle wearing the emperor’s crown and the Golden Fleece. Originally constructed in 1490, the roof was restored after fire damage in World War II. Vaulting

The Gothic main nave is covered by an impressive ribbed vault supported by tall, long pillars, lavishly decorated with 77 clay and stone statues dating back to the 15th century.

High Altar

The beautiful Baroque high altar was created by the brothers Tobias and Johann Pock in 1641. The painting in the centre of the marble altar depicts the stoning of the cathedral’s patron saint, St Stephan.

Organ

The famous “Giant Organ”, built in 1886, was destroyed during World War II. A large modern organ with 125 pipes was installed in the west choir in 1960.

Catacombs

When Emperor Karl VI closed the cathedral cemetery in 1732, a catacomb system was constructed to bury the city’s dead. By the end of the 18th century about 11,000 people were laid to rest in the catacombs. The centerpiece is the Duke’s Crypt, which holds the remains of the Habsburgs.

Windows

The five colorful medieval windows behind the high altar tell Biblical stories about the prophets and saints as well as the life and passion of Jesus.

Keywords: