Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This imposing, red-marble
tomb of Frederick III
is like a big king-size-bed coffin with
aneffigyofFredericklyingontop(notvisible—butthere'saphotooftheeffigyontheleft).
The top of the tomb is decorated with his coats of arms, representing the many territories
he ruled over. Frederick III (1415-1493) is considered the “father” of Vienna for turning the
small village into a royal town with a cosmopolitan feel.
• Walk to the middle of the church.
The tall, ornate, black marble
high altar
(1641, by Tobias and Johann Pock) is topped
with a statue of Mary that barely fits under the towering vaults of the ceiling. It frames a
large painting of the stoning of St. Stephen, painted on copper. Stephen (at the bottom), hav-
ing refused to stop professing his faith, is pelted with rocks by angry pagans. As he kneels,
ready to die, he gazes up to see a vision of Christ, the cross, and the angels of heaven.
During World War II, many of the city's top art treasures were stowed safely in cellars
and salt mines—hidden by both the Nazi occupiers (to protect against war damage) and by
citizens (to protect against Nazi looters). The
stained-glass windows
behind the high altar
were meticulously dismantled and packed away. The pulpit was encased in a shell of brick.
As the war was drawing to a close, it appeared St. Stephen's would escape major damage.
But as the Nazis were fleeing, the bitter Nazi commander in charge of the city ordered that
the church be destroyed. Fortunately, his underlings disobeyed. Unfortunately, the church
accidentally caught fire during Allied bombing shortly thereafter, and the wooden roof col-
lapsed onto the stone vaults of the ceiling. The Tupperware-colored glass on either side of
thenavedatesfromthe1950s.Beforethefire,thechurchwaslitmostlywithclearBaroque-
era windows.
• After exploring the nave, consider touring the catacombs or the treasury, or ascending
either one of the two towers.
Catacombs (Katakomben):
The catacombs (viewable by guided tour only) hold the
bodies—or at least the innards—of 72 Habsburgs, including that of Rudolf IV, the man who
beganbuildingthesouthtower.ThisiswhereAustria'srulerswereburiedbeforetheKaiser-
gruft was built (see
here
), and where later Habsburgs' entrails were entombed. The copper
urns preserve the imperial organs in alcohol. I touched Maria Theresa's urn, and it wobbled.
(€4.50, daily 10:00-11:30 & 13:30-16:30, tours depart on the half-hour and are in German
and English). Just be at the stairs in the left/north transept to meet the guide.
Treasury:
Tucked away in a loft in the oldest part of the church, the treasury offers pre-
cious relics, dazzling church art, a portrait of Rudolf IV (considered the earliest German
portrait), and wonderful views down on the nave (€4 admission includes audioguide, daily
10:00-18:00, look for elevator just inside the cathedral's entry).
Ascending the North Tower:
This tower, reached from inside the church (look for the
Aufzug zur Pummerin
sign), holds the famous “Pummerin” bell. Cast from captured Otto-
man cannons, this bell rings in the New Year. This tower is easier to ascend than the south
