St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna
In 1137, Bishop Reginmar of Passau and Margrave Leopold IV signed the Treaty of Mautern. This agreement transferred St. Peter's Church to the Diocese of Passau while reserving land for a new parish church. Excavations in 2000 revealed graves beneath the current site dating back to the 4th century. These carbon-dated remains suggest an even older religious building existed before the first known church on this spot. The partially constructed Romanesque church was solemnly dedicated in 1147 to Saint Stephen. Conrad III of Germany and other German nobles attended the ceremony before embarking on the Second Crusade. Although the first structure was completed by 1160, major reconstruction efforts continued until 1511.
Duke Rudolf IV laid the cornerstone for a westward Gothic extension on the 7th of April 1359. His ambitious project aimed to increase the religious clout of Vienna beyond its status as a mere parish church. Construction of the south tower lasted 65 years from 1368 to 1433. The vaulting of the nave took place between 1446 and 1474 under master builder Lorenz Spenning. A foundation for a north tower was laid in 1450 but construction halted in 1511 due to financial constraints. The cathedral stands 107 meters long and reaches 136 meters at its highest point. Over centuries, soot and air pollution turned the limestone black until recent restoration projects returned portions to their original white color.
On the 12th of April 1945, civilian looters lit fires in nearby shops as Soviet Army troops entered Vienna. Winds carried the flames to the cathedral where they severely damaged the roof causing it to collapse. Wehrmacht Captain Gerhard Klinkicht disregarded orders from city commandant Sepp Dietrich to fire shells and reduce the building to rubble. Protective brick shells around the pulpit and Frederick III's tomb minimized damage to valuable artworks. The Rollinger choir stalls carved in 1487 could not be saved during the conflagration. Reconstruction began immediately after the war with a limited reopening on the 12th of December 1948. Full reopening occurred on the 23rd of April 1952 when the structure finally stood ready for public worship again.
The old bell known as Old Pummerin was created in 1705 under founder Johann Achamer. It weighed slightly more than the current replacement and hung in the south tower. Eight men pulled ropes to move the clapper back and forth because the tower structure was too fragile for swinging. When the fire of 1945 overtook the belfry, the burning oak cradle gave way and the bell crashed to the floor below. Shattered pieces were salvaged and mixed into metal used to cast today's Pummerin which entered service in 1957. This new bell weighs 20,130 kilograms and stands as the largest swinging bell in Europe. It sounds on special occasions including Easter Pentecost Christmas Eve Saint Stephen's Day and New Year's Day.
Emperor Frederick III ordered the Wiener Neustädter Altar in 1447 for Cistercian Viktring Abbey near Klagenfurt. The altarpiece remained there until the abbey closed in 1786 during Emperor Joseph II's anti-clerical reforms. It was then sent to a monastery in Wiener Neustadt before being sold to St. Stephen's Cathedral in 1885. Restoration began on its 100th anniversary in 1985 taking 20 years and €1.3 million to complete. The Maria Pötsch Icon measures 50 by 70 centimeters and was commissioned in 1676 from painter István Papp. Emperor Leopold I brought it to Vienna after claims of miraculous tears in 1696. The icon now sits above an altar under a medieval stone baldachin where burning candles indicate its enduring veneration especially among Hungarians.
The Ducal Crypt located under the chancel holds 78 bronze containers with bodies hearts or viscera of 72 Habsburg dynasty members. Duke Rudolf IV ordered the crypt built before his death in 1365 for his own remains. By 1754 the small rectangular chamber became overcrowded so an oval chamber was added to the east end. In 1956 renovations rearranged contents placing Duke Rudolf IV's sarcophagus upon a pedestal while moving 62 urns containing organs to cabinets in the original chamber. When bubonic plague struck in 1735 bones from eight surrounding cemeteries were moved to catacombs below the church. Over 11,000 persons remain buried within these underground chambers today which can be toured by visitors.
The porous limestone is subject to weathering but coating it with silicone would trap moisture inside causing cracks when water freezes. The permanent Dombauhütte Construction Department uses laser cleaning on delicate features and investigates processes to impregnate stone cavities. A multi-year renovation of the south tower saw scaffolding installed with advertising fees defraying some costs until the concept was discontinued. As of December 2008 most restoration work on the tower had finished and scaffolding removed. Systematic cleaning proceeds around walls while outdoor reliefs like Christ in Gethsemane undergo restoration. Better heating systems now warm the church to around 18 degrees Celsius without depositing soot or grease on artwork. Digital 3D models created through laser measurements guide nine full-time stonemasons working in on-site workshops against the north wall.
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Common questions
When was St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna first dedicated?
The partially constructed Romanesque church was solemnly dedicated to Saint Stephen on the 12th of May 1147. Conrad III of Germany and other German nobles attended this ceremony before embarking on the Second Crusade.
Who laid the cornerstone for the Gothic extension of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna?
Duke Rudolf IV laid the cornerstone for a westward Gothic extension on the 7th of April 1359. His project aimed to increase the religious clout of Vienna beyond its status as a mere parish church.
What happened to the roof of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna during World War II?
On the 12th of April 1945, civilian looters lit fires that reached the cathedral and caused the roof to collapse. Wehrmacht Captain Gerhard Klinkicht disregarded orders from city commandant Sepp Dietrich to fire shells and reduce the building to rubble.
How heavy is the current Pummerin bell inside St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna?
This new bell weighs 20,130 kilograms and stands as the largest swinging bell in Europe. It entered service in 1957 after being cast using metal salvaged from the original Old Pummerin which crashed to the floor during the fire of 1945.
When did full reopening occur for public worship at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna?
Full reopening occurred on the 23rd of April 1952 when the structure finally stood ready for public worship again. A limited reopening had taken place earlier on the 12th of December 1948 following immediate post-war reconstruction efforts.