St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna

St. Stephen’s Cathedral stands on Stephansplatz in the historic centre of Vienna and is the metropolitan cathedral of the Archdiocese of Vienna. Its documented building history begins in 1137, when construction of the first Romanesque church started; that church was consecrated in 1147. The cathedral developed over centuries rather than in a single campaign.

A Gothic choir was begun in 1304 and consecrated in 1340, and the great south tower was completed in 1433. When Vienna became a diocese in 1469, and later an archdiocese in 1722, St. Stephen’s acquired the ecclesiastical role it continues to hold. The building is important both as a working Catholic church and as a major monument of Vienna’s medieval and later history.

Its Romanesque west end, Gothic spaces and prominent tower record successive phases of construction and restoration. Catholic worship, prayer and the veneration associated with its chapels and relics remain part of the cathedral’s religious life, but devotional identifications are distinct from the architectural facts documented by the cathedral itself.

Because the church is actively used for liturgy, sightseeing access may be restricted during Masses, ceremonies, concerts or special events; current visiting arrangements should be checked with the cathedral.