Take A Walk In Stephansdom

Located in the heart of the city, the Stephansdom is Vienna’s most beloved landmark and Austria’s finest Gothic edifice. The foundations of the original Romanesque church date back to 1147, but the earliest surviving features today are the 13th-century Giant’s Door (Riesentor) and the Heathen Towers (Heidentürme) on the west front. Various Habsburg rulers left their imprints by rebuilding the Gothic nave, the side chapels and the choir in the 14th and 15th centuries. The “Steffl”, as the cathedral is lovingly called by the Viennese, suffered severe damage from World War II bombings, but its rebuilding was a symbol of hope as the country emerged from the ashes of the conflict.

In this cathedral, there is North Tower with Pummerin. The North Tower, topped with a cupola, is home to the “Pummerin”. This bell, weighing nearly 20 tons, was cast from 100 cannon balls seized during the Turks’ failed seige of Vienna in 1683. Although you have to climb 343 steps to reach the visitor’s platform in the South Tower, don’t miss the stunning view across Vienna’s rooftops. An alternative is the elevator up to the North Tower. The cathedral is opened at 6am–10pm daily; guided tours 10:30am & 3pm Mon–Sat, 3pm Sun, and administration for South Tower €3.00; North Tower €4.00

You can enter the cathedral through the Giant’s Door at the west front. The Gothic pulpit is to your left, as is the elevator up to the top of the North Tower, just behind the organ base showing cathedral builder Master Pilgram. The entrance to the catacombs is in the middle of the left side, past the Wiener Neustädter Altar. In the far righthand corner is Emperor Friedrich III’s raised tomb.