St. Stephen's Cathedral

Stephen's Cathedral is a landmark building in Vienna and one of the three cathedrals in Europe. Today, the cathedral still stands quietly in the center of the lively old city, like the guardian of Vienna. When you come to the center of Vienna, you will be attracted by its majesty. Historical background The church was built in 1147. It was originally built in the name of the Roman church. In the 14th century, Rudolf IV ordered a large-scale reconstruction. Cathedral. The funerals of successive Austrian emperors were held in this magnificent church. Since the late 15th century, Stephen's Cathedral has been a Catholic bishopric and an important church in Austria. The magnificent building Stephen's Cathedral is composed of one main building and three towers. The towering conical minarets rise into the sky, the colorful roof inlaid with green and yellow mosaic tiles shines in the sun, and the armband patterns composed of tiles and The double-headed eagle, representing the Habsburg dynasty, is magnificent. The interior of the church has been remodeled several times. Various European architectural arts are eclectically blended and eclectic. The sun shines into the church through the brightly colored stained glass windows, forming a dreamlike halo. Visiting the church and stepping into it, you will be greeted by the grand Gothic pulpit, designed and built by Anton Pilgram. On the organ support above the pulpit, there is also the missionary A statue of the author himself holding a compass and ruler. In addition, the statue of "Sad Jesus" (used to be jokingly called "Jesus with a toothache") in the church, the theme of the coronation of Mary, and the finely carved Baroque altar are also worth seeing. Visit the underground cemetery The underground cemetery of Stephen's Cathedral houses the bones of about 2,000 victims of the Black Death and the internal organs of 72 members of the Habsburg royal family, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III, Rudolf IV The sarcophagus of Frederick III is also placed here, among which the great sarcophagus of Frederick III is a masterpiece of post-Gothic sculpture art in the early 16th century, weighing 8 tons. The south tower, which is more than 130 meters high, is the highest part of the exterior of the entire church. The exquisite carvings make it known as one of the most beautiful Gothic spires in the world, and it is affectionately called "Steffl" by the locals. Tiff). You can go up the stairs along the narrow spiral staircase in the minaret to the viewing platform about 70 meters high, and have a glimpse of the scenery of Vienna, which is full of beautiful scenery. The tall and straight Gothic buildings stand side by side with the magnificent Baroque palaces, which are well-proportioned. The new high-rise buildings mixed in the classical buildings also add a modern atmosphere to the symphony of the capital city. The North Tower, which was originally expected to be built in conjunction with the South Tower, was only built to a height of 60 meters due to financial difficulties at the time. However, on the top of the tower is the "Pomerin" bell, a major attraction of the cathedral, which is the third largest in Europe. The church bell, made of bronze cannons left over from the Turkish army, weighed 20 tons. It was later destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in 1952. At present, the bell of Pumelin will ring on major festivals. On the New Year's Eve, the bell of "Pumerlin" rang through the whole city, conveying the blessings of the new year to people. When visiting the North Tower, you can take the elevator and enjoy the vicissitudes of life up close.