St. Stephen's Cathedral

The origins of St. Stephen's Cathedral date back to 1137, when an exchange agreement enabled the construction of a church dedicated to St. Stephen. This first church was consecrated in 1147. Between 1230 and 1245, a late Romanesque successor building was erected, whose west facade with the distinctive Heathen Towers and the Giant's Gate remains preserved to this day. A devastating fire in 1258 led to further construction, and a renewed consecration took place in 1263. In the 14th century, the choir was extended in Gothic style, known as the Albertine Choir. Rudolf IV laid the foundation stone for the Gothic nave in 1359, and in 1365, St. Stephen's Church was elevated to a cathedral. The completion of the 136.4-meter-high South Tower in 1433 made it the tallest tower in Europe for several years. In 1469, Vienna was elevated to a bishopric and St. Stephen's Cathedral became a cathedral. The North Tower, whose construction began in 1450, remained unfinished and received a Renaissance dome in 1578. In the 17th century, the interior was baroqueized. During the Turkish siege of 1683, the cathedral was damaged, and the Pummerin, Europe's second-largest free-swinging church bell, was later cast from captured cannons. In the 19th century, extensive renovations took place, including the renewal of the South Tower's spire. The cathedral largely survived the bombing raids of World War II unscathed, but a fire in April 1945 destroyed the roof structure and the bell tower. Reconstruction began immediately after the war and was completed in 1952 with the consecration of the newly cast Pummerin.

St. Stephen's Cathedral is located at Stephansplatz in the Innere Stadt district of Vienna, Austria, at an elevation of approximately 206 m above sea level.

The church is now open to visitors and can be toured. The South Tower is publicly accessible up to a height of 72 meters, providing access to the watchman's room.

• Palais Coburg (residence), approx. 0.4 km away
• Palais Abensperg-Traun (residence), approx. 0.4 km away
• Hofburg (palace), approx. 0.7 km away
• Palais Auersperg (residence), approx. 1.3 km away