St. Stephen's Cathedral, Stephansdom in German, is the most important Catholic church in the city, the most important Viennese Gothic building and one of the main symbols of Vienna.

It is located right in the centre of Vienna on Stepanhsplatz and, as the tallest of the buildings within the city centre, is already visible from a distance.

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The Unfinished Tower

In 1359, Duke Rudolf IV commissioned a new tower for the castle. Habsburgs laid the foundations of a new church. The next milestone was in 1433, when the main south tower was completed in the form we know it today.

The construction of the north tower progressed slowly and was interrupted in the first half of the 16th century, when the tower was topped with a bland Renaissance dome about halfway up.

The interior of the cathedral is largely Baroque, as the interior of the cathedral underwent major renovations during the 17th century.

Height and appearance of the cathedral

The main south tower is 136 metres high, while the unfinished north tower is only 68 metres high.

In addition to the Gothic tower, the steep roof with its beautiful green-yellow-white striped motif is a striking feature. The entire roof is covered with 230,000 tiles in 10 shades of colour, which were made in the workshops of the village of Poštorná in South Moravia.

The interior of the cathedral is a classic three-nave, a bit dark and austere at first sight, but with a beautiful Baroque altar and a historically valuable 15th century Gothic pulpit.

In the underground of the cathedral you can visit the catacombs with the tomb of St Stephen. You are not allowed to take photos in the catacombs and they are quite small.

Entrance fees and opening hours

The main part of the cathedral is open daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, but mainly for the faithful or travelers who just need a glimpse into the main aisles of the church.

For tourists who want to pay for a guide, it is open between 9:00-11:30am and 1:00-4:30pm, and on Sundays only from 1:00-4:30pm.

The south and north towers are open 9:00-17:30.

Ticket price

Admission is free to the main aisles of the church without a guide.

Guided tour of the cathedral costs 7 eur. A special admission fee is charged to other parts of the cathedral:

• Catacombs - 7 eur, only guided tours every half hour are possible.
• South Tower (without elevator) - 7 eur
• North Tower (also accessible by lift, but the view is at a lower height than the South Tower) - - 6,50 eur
• All-inclusive (guided tour + both towers + catacombs + cathedral museum) - 25 eur

Cash only.

Official information can be found on the cathedral's tourist website: stephanskirche.at

View from the towers

We definitely recommend a visit to at least one of the towers, which offer the best views of the whole of Vienna.

While the tallest South Tower offers panoramic 360° views of the entire city, the North Tower offers good views only to the north, east and southeast.

The viewpoint on the South Tower is cramped and all indoors with only 4 small windows. There are 343 steps up to the top via a very narrow spiral staircase.

The North Tower is lower but has an elevator leading to it and the viewpoint is considerably more spacious and all outdoors.

Accommodation at Stephansplatz

Do you prefer to stay right in the city centre on your travels? Then choose hotels in close proximity to the cathedral.

We'd recommend these great-rated hotels with good prices:

• DO&CO Hotel Vienna ***** with breathtaking views of the cathedral.
• Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth **** in a quiet side street

Location and transport

The cathedral is in the very centre of Vienna and can be reached on foot from anywhere within the city centre in under 20 minutes.

• Stephansplatz (lines U1 and U3)
• Bus - 30 metres: Stephansplatz (lines 1A, 2A, 3A)

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