Austria

Stephansdom in Vienna – A Cathedral With Multi-colored Roof Tiles

by TheSojourner

September 3, 2019

2160

Stephansdom Cathedral in Vienna

The Stephansdom in Vienna is, perhaps, the most-visited of all tourist attractions in the city. Apart from its towering Gothic tower, its multi-colored roof tiles are ones that you will recognize instantly. When I asked a friend who lives there now on where I can take a photo with my rainbow wig, she didn’t blink an eye to highly recommend this Cathedral. And being an obedient friend, I went there early morning to avoid the crowd.

The Stephansdom cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Vienna. For visitors, they call it St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Stephansdom Cathedral in Vienna Austria Travel — Stephansdom Cathedral in Vienna (Austria).

As you can see from its facade, the Cathedral is obviously of a Gothic architectural style.

Gothic cathedral in Austria — The current cathedral stands on two ancient churches.

But if you look closer (and perhaps, read its history), there is also a bit of Baroque and Romanesque styles in it.

Things to do in Vienna — Vienna is a small city with many things to do and see.

Before you go inside, I’d recommend that you go around the cathedral first to get a glimpse of the whole structure.

Things to do in Vienna Hostel Hotel — You definitely should visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

The colorful roof tiles carry two coat of arms – that of the royal family and the city of Wein.

Coat of arms St Stephen's cathedral — A double-headed eagle is the coat of arm of the royal family.

There are four towers, and the tallest one stands at 136.44 meters. You can reach the top deck via the 343 steps. The panoramic views of the city await you there.

Hostel Hotel in Vienna — Yep, you can climb the 343 steps of this tower!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go up there because it was too early. I went back in the afternoon to see the altar/interior but they already closed the stairs.

Hostel Hotel in Wein — The facade of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Wein.

Let’s see the cathedral’s interior.

Hotel Hostel in Wein — St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Wein.

The altar is obviously breathtaking which has experienced many changes from the 12th century to the Baroque period.

Altar of st Stephen's cathedral Vienna Things to do — The altar of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.

It has been said that many of the religious relics here are in gold, silver, and other precious stones.

things to do Vienna — The interior of Stephandom Cathedral in Vienna (Austria).

Don’t forget to toggle at the side chapels. They’re equally mesmerizing as the main altar.

Things to do in Wein — Don’t forget to see the side chapels, too.

The cathedral is also a host to the remains of famous people in Austria’s history, like Emperor Freidrich III.

When you’re done looking at the interior, visit the small apartment where Mozart used to live. It’s at the back of the cathedral, and only a few people know this. There was not even a queue when I was there.

Hotel / Hostel in Vienna

I stayed at a&o Wien Hauptbahnhof which is just 5 minutes walk from/to Vienna Central Train Station. The room is spacious and clean. The staff members are nice and they were very helpful to me when I asked about getting around the city. You can book it via Booking.com, Tripadvisor, HostelWorld, and Expedia.