St. Stephen’s Cathedral

St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna stands on Stephansplatz Square at sunrise, featuring Gothic spires and a patterned tiled roof against a colorful sky.
St. Stephen's CathedralIts stately Gothic tower makes St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna one of the tallest churches in the world.
St. Stephen's Cathedral
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St. Stephen's CathedralSt. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna.
Aerial view of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, showing its tall Gothic spire and colorful patterned roof surrounded by city buildings.
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St. Stephen's CathedralThe colorful tiled roof of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Roman Catholic cathedral in Vienna that was burned out in the course of the Battle of Vienna in April 1945 and was reconstructed by 1952. St. Stephen’s was established in 1147; only the west facade remains of the late Romanesque edifice that burned in 1258. A Gothic nave was built from 1304 to 1450, with a Gothic tower and spire on the south transept completed in 1433. Reaching 448 feet (136 meters) in height, the church was the tallest structure in the region for centuries and remains one of the tallest churches in the world. A distinguishing exterior feature is the tiled roof in a colored zigzag pattern.

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.
Citation Information
Article Title: St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 27 May 2026
Access Date: November 14, 2026