St. Stephen's Cathedral
Vienna · AT
Gothic cathedral at the heart of Vienna.
On the map
Stephansplatz 11, 1010 Wien, Austria
Vienna's 700-year-old soul
St Stephen's Cathedral has stood on this spot in different forms since 1147. The current Gothic structure was largely completed in 1511; the 107 m south tower ("Steffl") is one of Vienna's most recognisable landmarks. The roof's coloured tile mosaic (230,000 tiles) depicts the imperial double-headed eagle and was rebuilt after WWII fire damage in 1945. Mozart was married here in 1782 and his funeral was held in the Crucifix Chapel in 1791.
Climb the towers, descend to the catacombs
The south tower (Steffl) offers Vienna's best view — 343 stone steps to a platform 73 m up (€7). The north tower has an elevator to a slightly lower viewpoint (€7) and houses the Pummerin, Austria's largest bell. Below the cathedral, the catacombs hold the bones of 11,000 plague victims and 73 members of the Habsburg dynasty (heart in Augustinerkirche, body here, intestines in the Kapuzinergruft — Habsburg "triple burial").
Visiting the cathedral itself
Free entry to the central nave is restricted to a roped-off tourist area near the entrance — beyond that requires the all-inclusive ticket (€20: nave + catacombs + both towers + audio guide). Mass times: weekdays 07:00 + 12:00 + 18:00, Sundays 09:00 + 10:15 (sung Latin) + 11:30. Free during mass but you must sit and not roam. The cathedral is the archdiocese seat — papal masses happen 2–3 times a year.
