The visual image most closely associated with historical Vienna is Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s cathedral) right in the centre: an obligatory stop for visitors.
- Gothic cathedral with baroque fittings
- …and a multi-coloured tiled roof
- Ticketed attractions include:
- full interior & catacombs
- north & south towers
- Ticket purchases on site are cash only
- Book all-inclusive cathedral tickets* in advance
- Look for evening concert tickets*, too
- Check the cathedral calendar for days when entry times may be restricted
- See also:
- Stephansdom organ concerts (my review)
- Nearby hotels
Quick cathedral tickets
The all-inclusive option that includes the neighbouring Dom Museum, too:
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
(NB: Check the cathedral calendar for occasional service-related limits on visiting times)
Cathedral as city icon
Stephansdom has accompanied Vienna through much of the city’s history; the initial foundation stone dates back to 1137, a time long before Sachertorte, Habsburg emperors, and coffee.
(Main nave and south tower viewed from Stephansplatz square)
That original 12th-century church is no more, though the current incarnation has its origins in the mid-13th century; the main entrance door, for example, dates back to this time: imagine the people it has seen pass through…
Over the years, they added various towers, extensions, and other elements to create today’s working gothic building with its sprinkling of baroque features.
Sadly, the work of centuries suffered significantly from events in 1945. Stephansdom survived the aerial bombings of WWII only for a fire in nearby buildings to spread to the cathedral in April of that year, destroying parts of the building.
(War damage inside Stephansdom photographed in 1948 by Bruno Reiffenstein; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 146972, excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)
A newspaper report noted (my translation):
We were filming again in Stephansdom, but the camera needed no spotlight to banish the shadows this time and no battery of Jupiter lamps to light up the mystical darkness of the ceiling. Blazing sunlight filled the nave…
Despite the deprivations of the post-war period, the city and community repaired all the damage within just a few years. You can see the skeletal version of the cathedral in the opening frames of the movie, The Third Man, for example.
Stephansdom now peers down benignly on the “young” buildings that surround it, like a towering giant of a great-uncle. Albeit one with a remarkable multi-coloured roof put in after that fire.
What’s inside Stephansdom?
The building manages to be tranquil, reverential, and delightful in equal measure.
If you just want to get a quick taste of Stephansdom’s atmosphere and architecture, the front of the nave and part of the northern side are freely accessible. Everything else requires a ticket.
(Part of the famous Stephansdom roof)
So you’ll need to pay to climb a tower, tour the catacombs, walk down to the central altar, and similar. Ticketed options for inside are:
- The self-guided tour: wander around the main interior in the company of an audio guide rich in details and stories
- The South Tower: climb up 343 narrow steps to an observation chamber with excellent views of Vienna, particularly (obviously) of the surrounding central district
- The North Tower: take a lift up to a viewing platform and the famous 21,283 kg Pummerin bell that rings in the New Year in Austria
- The Catacombs: join a guided tour among the crypts below ground, including one or two that live up to Hollywoodesque expectations
- Regular cathedral concerts*, which include an expanded repertoire during the Christmas season. I attended one of the popular organ recitals, where the organist sits in the nave and controls two huge organs using five (!) keyboards
(The visitor entrance in the west)
The ticketless public area inside does give you views down the length of the cathedral. You can also visit several small altars with pews for prayer and reflection, light a votive candle, or visit the cathedral shop.
You won’t get a close view of the big 17th century primary altar or the giant sarcophagus of Frederick III, for example, but you get reasonably close to the 1447 altar with its decorated panels.
Nevertheless, I’d recommend at least taking the self-guided tour of the full interior, because Stephansdom reveals its true delights in close-up.
The cathedral also has a Treasury. This collection of Christian relics and other historical items & valuables has been closed for refurbishment for a long while now. I have no reopening date at the time of writing.
An alternative to the treasury, however, is the neighbouring cathedral museum (Dommuseum).
Tickets & visitor tips
(The cathedral and Christmas market)
Unless you’re only interested in one or two activities, consider buying an all-inclusive ticket instead of separate tickets for each attraction inside the cathedral. Note that on-site purchases are cash only.
The cost-saving all-inclusive ticket* also gets you into that adjacent Dom Museum with all its treasures.
The cathedral itself opens year round and holds regular services (you may have to delay walking around the ticketed cathedral interior, for example, if a mass or some other event is taking place).
Some tips:
- Don’t forget to wander around the outside of the cathedral, too. The most striking parts are the main tower, which rises over 136m, and the roof’s 230,000 coloured tiles
- Spot the “O5” scratched into the wall just south of the main entrance. This was a symbol of the Austrian resistance during WWII
- Unexpectedly, a trip around the back reveals the Haas&Haas tea rooms and shop opposite: a lone beacon of Earl Grey and cucumber sandwiches in a city of coffee and cake
- The inside and outside of today’s Stephansdom play a notable role in the final episode of Season 4 of Vienna Blood, should you wish a quick look around from the comfort of your armchair
- As a working cathedral, respectful behaviour is expected: remove hats, don’t eat or drink, don’t make phone calls, etc.
- If you need a little quiet time and relief from the heat on a summer’s day, Stephansdom is one of your options
- In warmer seasons, the cathedral square and surrounds become a nice (if busy) place to hang out in a street café or with an ice cream and watch the world go by
- Early summer has the Stefflkirtag fayre-like event outside the cathedral. In winter, the square hosts the Stephansplatz Christmas market
- For tours of other churches and historical buildings, try these suggestions
How to get to Stephansdom
Given the central location, you’ll probably wander past on your first stroll through town. Otherwise:
- Use the U1 or U3 subway lines, getting out at Stephansplatz station (the exit emerges in front of the main cathedral entrance)
- Take one of the 1A, 2A or 3A buses that drive around the old town (the relevant stop is also called Stephansplatz)
Once you get off the bus or leave the subway station, you can’t miss the cathedral. It’s rather obvious: just look up.
Address: Stephansdom, Stephansplatz, 1010 Vienna | Website