Day2-St. Stephen’s Cathedral

The magnificent Gothic edifice that is St Stephen’s Cathedral, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna, is one of Vienna’s most culturally significant landmarks. It’s also an important heritage site, and is respected across Austria. Today the cathedral is something of a symbol of Vienna, with its stunning mosaic roof and the sheer height of its south tower making it one of the most recognizable attractions in the city.

The construction of the original church commenced around 1137, on a site that is believed to have been an Ancient Roman cemetery. This first building was finished in 1160, but it was entirely ravaged by a large fire in 1258, leaving very little remaining besides the stone foundations on which it stood.

The church was reconstructed using two surviving towers and was once again consecrated in 1263. Since then, St Stephen’s Cathedral has continued to gradually grow and reshape over time, with large sections rebuilt after damage caused during World War II, and various towers, extensions and decorations added over the centuries.

St. Stephen's Cathedral is 351 foot long and 112 foot wide and has four towers. The tallest of these is the south tower at 446 foot high, known affectionately as “Steffl and has become an icon of the city’s skyline, visible from almost anywhere in Vienna.  Legend has it that Beethoven‘s deafness first became apparent to him when he observed birds flying away from the north tower but yet he could not hear the sound of their wings flapping in the air.

The glory of St. Stephen's Cathedral is its ornately patterned, richly colored mosaic roof, 364 ft long, and covered by 230,000 glazed tiles located on the south side of the building.

Corridor on the outside of the church.  Since there is a film festival in the main square we have to walk around to get to entrance of the Church.

  The is the south side of the Cathedral

The exterior of the cathedral is made up of limestone walls that have been adorned with intricately detailed statues. The design is an amalgamation of Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles.

This part of the Cathedral is still under renovation as you can see the outside is still dirty compare with the North side (picture above).

Facade of the Cathedral on the East side

More details on the facade

The entrance on the East Side of the Cathedral

The Court Yard

Open year-round to the public, the cathedral hosts many events throughout the year, including its popular Christmas Concerts. Various guided tours in English are available, and it is one of Vienna’s most popular landmarks, attracting over one million tourists every year.

Workers are prepping for the Film Festival.

Huge TV in the center of the Square.

TV is set on one of the facade of the church.

It is going to be really crowded tonight.

Next....The interiors of St. Stephens's Cathedral