Stephansdom, the Heart of Old Vienna

As a must see, I headed to Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral) via Vienna’s wonderful subway system. I emerged from underground into the Stephenplatz and was treated by a spectacular sight - Stephansdom!

A church of some sort has stood here for at least 800 years. Over the years due to destruction and reconstruction there is an interesting mixture of Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque architecture.

Not doing my homework thoroughly before the visit, I missed ascending the south tower which is the highest of the towers at 446ft. Stairs take you up to a viewing platform, which I’m sure would provide a spectacular view from above. I did manage to get up to the north tower and it’s platform - a mere 223ft. The view from the lower tower were amazing. Being able to get close to the famous tiled roof was a real treat.Picutres of the colorful roof will follow.

Above and below the viewer can easily see the difference between the height and style of the south tower and the smaller different west towerS. The south tower or spire was constructed using the Gothic style of architecture. It took 65 years to complete, finishing in 1433.

The pair of towers on the west side of the church referred to as the Roman Towers, flank each side of the Giant’s Doorway. It is thought that the doorway got its name from the thigh bone of a wooly mammoth. The bone was found on the site during construction of the south tower then hung above the entranceway for many years.

Above the Roman Towers flank the Giant’s Doorway which is not shown here but is below the window.

Once entering the doorway, you are greeted by this spectacular view leading to the High Alter which depicts the martyrdom of St Stephen.

Hours could easily be spent meandering around churches in Europe including Stephansdom. Much wealth flowed through the powerful Catholic Church over the centuries which is easily reflected in the art and architecture found in these houses of worship. In fairness, many people were unable to read and write, so art and architecture were utilized to represent the mystery and awesomeness of God and Christianity.

Internal conflict was present when visiting these masterpieces wondering on one hand - what if all that money would have been spent feeding and caring for the people and on the other hand would we have all this magnificent art and architecture if it wasn’t for the church. Certainly there are dissertations written about this! Since the past cannot be changed, I decided to enjoy the beauty and appreciate what I was so fortunate to enjoy.

Everywhere you look inside and out a story is being told. Symbols and paintings are being used so the the stories could be seen and understood by those unable to read. Slowly, illiteracy started to decline once the printing press was developed in 1450 by Johannes Gutenberg.

What follows are but a few of the stories and treasures found inside this beautiful cathedral: