!!!Stephansdom

Saint Stephen´s Cathedral (St. Stephan, Stephansdom), cathedral 
and metropolitan church dedicated to St. Stephen, seat of the 
Archbishop (Cardinal) of Vienna, one of the most important high and 
late Gothic buildings in Central Europe, monumental example of a 
southern German/Austrian staggered church, landmark of Vienna. 
Characteristic are the lateral position of the towers, the integration 
of the Romanesque western façade, the high-Gothic hall choir 
and the impressive steeply pitched roof covered with a decorative 
pattern in glazed tiles. External length: 107.2 m, internal: 91.8, 
nave width: 38.9 m; height of south tower ("Hoher Turm"): 
136.7 m, north tower: 60.6 m, Heidentuerme ("Heathens´ 
Towers"): 65.6 m.

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History of Construction: First (?) construction 1137, consecrated 
1147, completed as parish church (in possession of the bishopric of 
Passau) in 1160 (lower floors of the eastern "Heidentuerme" 
and lower parts of the wall divisions are still extant). The various 
princes subsequently tried to found an independent diocese at St. 
Stephen's. Vienna was finally granted the status of a diocese in 1469 
and St. Stephen's became a cathedral; metropolitan church of the 
archdiocese since 1723.

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From 1230, a new construction, which was one of the last great 
Romanesque churches in the German-speaking area, was built on top of 
the original floor plan (partially destroyed by fire in 1258, 
consecrated in 1263). Of this construction, only the western 
façade with the Riesentor ("Giant´s Doorway"), 
the upper floors of the Heidentuerme and the neighbouring west choir 
are still extant. The construction of the three-aisled hall choir 
("Albertinischer Chor") 1304-1340 marked the beginning of 
Gothic alterations. In 1359, Rudolf IV laid the foundations of the new 
construction of the nave (staggered hall) and the two-storied chapels 
on the west side; at the same time, the construction of the 
"Hoher Turm" (south tower) began. The Romanesque nave, which 
was subsequently adapted in Gothic style, was finally demolished in 
1426 and the choir was adapted for divine service by walling up its 
eastern end. The south tower was finished by H. von  Prachatitz 
in 1433. In 1446, H.  Puchspaum started the vaulting of the nave and 
the construction of the attic; this masterpiece of Gothic carpentry 
was destroyed by fire on April 4, 1945 and reconstructed in steel on 
the model of the original. Puchsbaum also created the vestibule of the 
"Singertor" (before 1450) and designed the 
"Adlerturm" north tower (Eagle´s Tower), whose 
construction commenced in 1467, was discontinued through in 1511 and 
was finally covered by an onion-shaped tower roof and topped with a 
bell-shaped dome by K. and H.  Saphoy. A.  Pilgram was the master 
builder of St. Stephen´s from 1510-1514. Around 1515, the 
vestibule of the Bischofstor ("Bishop´s Doorway") was 
constructed, presumably by G. Hauser. Several 19%%sup th/%  century 
additions and alterations made by F. von  Schmidt.

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Exterior View: Western façade: richly decorated recessed 
Riesentor (main entrance) between the late-Romanesque Heidentuerme 
("Heathens´ Towers"). Both west chapels with the 
statues of Rudolf IV and Katharina of Bohemia are Gothic (around 1365, 
originals in the Historisches Museum der Stadt Wien). North 
façade: Bischofstor, Kreuzkapelle ("Chapel of the 
Cross"), Adlerturm (with the  "Pummerin" bell) and 
Barbarakapelle ("St. Barbara Chapel"). There are tracery 
windows and pier buttresses with blind tracery on the walls of the 
nave and figures of Dukes (by L. Schadler, 1907) underneath 
baldachins. The former gravedigger´s house with the relief 
"Juengstes Gericht" ("Judgement Day"; 1520), the Capistranus 
pulpit (around 1430) and the Upper Sacristy are attached to the lower 
part of the choir. East side of the central choir: All Souls fresco by 
J. Danhauser (1826, only few original parts extant) and half-length 
figure of "Our Lord with Toothache" (around 1410). South 
side (similar to north side): Winter choir (treasury), 
sacristan´s house, St. Catharine´s chapel, Hoher Turm 
tower, "Lower Sacristy", tomb of  Neidhart Fuchs 
(14%%sup th/%  century) and Singertor. The figural portal decorations 
of the Singertor and Bischofstor vestibules are the main works of the 
Austrian High Gothic (around 1360-1370, School of Parler). Several 
tombstones from the cemetery ("Stephansfreithof"), which 
used to surround the Cathedral, are immured in the exterior walls. The 
Hoher Turm, one of the most beautiful Gothic towers, is abundantly 
decorated with sculptures (some originals in the Historisches Museum 
der Stadt Wien). The spire consists of a patriarchal cross with a 
double-headed eagle on a gold-plated metal globe.

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The Catacombs, which are made up of subterranean hallways and chambers 
and are partially situated below Stephansplatz (St. Stephen´s 
Square), were constructed as cellars; they later served as ossuaries, 
from 1720 as burial sites; and were cleared in 1872. Central points of 
the Catacombs include the Herzogsgruft and Bischofsgruft ("Ducal 
Vault and Bishop´s Vault").

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Interior: To the left of the entrance hall: Tomb of the Humanist 
Johannes  Cuspinianus (after 1529), in the Kreuzkapelle, tomb of 
Prince Eugène (by J. Wurschbauer, 1754-1758), organ-loft with 
portrait bust of A. Pilgram in the northern lateral aisle next to the 
transept. Figure of the Dienstbotenmadonna ("Servants´ 
Madonna") on a base in front of the pillar bearing the pulpit 
(around 1320), pulpit (formerly attributed to A. Pilgram), probably 
late 15%%sup th/%  century with famous self-portrait (1513/15). In the 
north choir, cenotaph of Rudolf the Founder and his wife Katharina 
(around 1378) and the Wiener Neustadt Altar (1447, purchased from the 
monastery of Neukloster at Wiener Neustadt in 1884) with Friedrich 
III´ series of vowels A.E.I.O.U. In the nave, high altar by the 
brothers J. J. and T. Pock (1647), Baroque stone altar with altar 
piece by M. J. Schmidt (1772), Baroque choir stalls (1647). In the 
south choir, red marble tomb of Emperor Friedrich III (1467-1513, 
designed and begun by Niclas Gerhaert van Leyden). Some stained glass 
windows (around 1340) still extant. In St. Catharine´s chapel, 
Gothic marble baptismal font (1481) with carved wooden cover. On the 
southern nave wall, altar baldachin by H. Puchsbaum (1448) and altar 
with painting of the Virgin Mary from Maria Poetsch (Hungary, 1676). 
In the Herzogskapelle, stone statue of the Hausmuttergottes ("Our 
Lady of the House") and winged altar (1507) with figure of the 
Man of Sorrows. Paintings by M. Altomonte in the Upper and Lower 
Sacristy.

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In 1945, St. Stephen´s Cathedral was heavily damaged by bombs 
and by fire. Damaged parts included the roof, the groin vault of the 
choir, the northeastern corner of the Upper Sacristy, the southern 
Heidenturm, the large Gothic window of the west façade, the 
Gothic choir stalls by W. Rollinger (1476), the early-Gothic giant 
Wimpassing Cross etc. The Cathedral was reconstructed under the master 
builder K. Holey; in 1952, the nave was finished, and in 1957, the 
"Pummerin" was hung in the North Tower. The large new organ 
and the bells were finally dedicated in 1960.

!Literature
H. Tietze, Geschichte und Beschreibung des 
St. Stephan in Wien, 1931 (Oesterr. Kunsttopographie, vol. 23); 
K. Oettinger, A. Pilgram und die Bildhauer von St. Stephan, 1951; 
R. Bachleitner, Der Wiener Dom, 1966; V. Fiedler, Stephansdom und 
Wiener Bistumsgruendung, 1968; R. Feuchtmueller, Der Wiener 
Stephansdom, 1987; Mittelalterliche Glasmalereien aus 
St. Stephan, exhibition catalogue, Vienna 1990; M. Zykan, Der 
Westbau von St. Stephan, in: Oesterreichische Zeitschrift fuer 
Kunst und Denkmalpflege, vol. 44, 1990.


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