Crepes and a carousel help turn Vienna’s cathedral square into an old-fashioned street market and town fair at the Stefflkirtag.
- Much like a Christmas market but without the Christmassy bits
- Numerous booths selling handicrafts, food, and drink
- Occasional musical entertainment
- The cathedral typically offers tours and other events in tandem with the Kirtag
- 2025 dates: May 29 – June 9
- Book a cathedral concert* for your visit
- See also:
- What to do in May & June
- Nearby hotels
A fair-like treat
(Cathedral and carousel)
A Kirtag is best described as a parish fair: the kind where in England you’d throw a wet sponge at the vicar for tuppence and gorge on homemade cakes and toffee apples.
Not exactly what you think of as suitable for an urban giant of a place like Vienna.
But the Kirtag is a thing here, too. Individual districts may have their own local version, and the main square around Stephansdom cathedral also echoes annually to the sound of fair music and kids demanding just one more of whatever they just had.
The Stefflkirtag takes its name from the cathedral that towers over the booths: Steffl is the affectionate nickname used by the Viennese for Stephansdom.
The first fair actually took place in 2002 at the 50th anniversary of the reopening of the cathedral after its post-WWII rebuild.
So what can you expect?
Think of the Kirtag as a little like a Christmas market, with arts and crafts, food, drink, a carousel, and all-round general merriment. But no Santas or pressure to buy gifts that will wrap easily and keep until December 25th.
Stands typically sell jewellery, decorative art and other handicrafts, along with snacks like pastries, waffles, crepes and sausages.
And, of course, tuck into traditional Viennese and Austrian fare, washed down with a glass or three of local wine or beer (or even champagne on my last visit).
(Sausages, meat, and more from the popular Speck Standl booth)
The cathedral plays a special role in the Kirtag, too, with services, performances and special guided tours typical during the twelve days or so of the event.
And each day ends with the traditional ringing of the bells to announce it’s time to stop serving beer.
2025 dates, tickets & tips
The 2025 Stefflkirtag runs from May 29th to June 9th.
Like most open-air markets and fairs, you pay no entrance fee to access the area, which opens from 10am to 9pm.
Of course, you’re right in the centre of town, so have plenty else to see and do in the area.
The cathedral itself has standard tours of the interior and crypts, two towers to ascend, and concerts*. Mozart’s former residence is a street away, for example. And the square has a rather fine tea house at one end (keep this to yourselves unless you want a run in with the coffee police).
How to get to the Kirtag
Don’t take a car, as the Kirtag is in the pedestrianised centre of town, where street parking spaces are only available on the black market at a premium and car parks expensive.
Rather conveniently, the Stephansplatz subway station (on the U1 and U3 lines) brings you out right in front of the cathedral. Or take the 1A, 2A or 3A old town buses to the stop of the same name.
Address: Stephansplatz, 1010 Vienna | Website