Stephansdom

Vienna’s Gothic masterpiece Stephansdom (St Stephen’s Cathedral), or Steffl (Little Stephan) as it’s locally called, symbolises Vienna like no other building. A church has stood on this site since the 12th century, but little remains of the original structure aside from the Riesentor (Giant’s Gate) and Heidentürme (Towers of the Heathens); both features are Romanesque in style. In 1359, at the behest of Habsburg Duke Rudolf IV, Stephansdom began receiving its Gothic makeover and Rudolf earned himself the epithet of ‘The Founder’ by laying the first stone in the recostruction. Much of the nave is closed to the public during mass, which is held up to seven times a day, and from July to mid-October the nave can only be visited with a tour.