There is no doubt that the symbol of Vienna is St. Stephen’s Cathedral, affectionately called Steffl by the Viennese. Its history is inseparably intertwined with that of the city. For over seven centuries, it has witnessed great victories, tragedies, and the everyday lives of its inhabitants.
Beneath the cathedral stretch the catacombs, where the entrails of many Habsburgs are buried. According to an old tradition, their bodies, hearts, and entrails were interred in three different places: the bodies in the Imperial Crypt, the hearts in the Augustinian Church, and the entrails here, in St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
In the north tower hangs the mighty Pummerin bell, weighing around 20 tons. It was cast from melted-down Turkish cannons captured during the 1683 Siege of Vienna. After being destroyed in 1945, it was recast and reinstalled. Its deep tone rings out on special occasions – most famously on New Year’s Eve, to welcome the coming year.
Inside the cathedral, look for the so-called Fenstergucker, a stone face peering from the pulpit’s decoration. It is believed to be a self-portrait of a medieval master stonemason, leaving his mark for posterity.
On the southwest exterior of the cathedral stands an unusual statue known as the “Toothache Christ” (Zahnweh-Herrgott). According to legend, three students mocked the image of the Savior and were soon struck by a severe toothache, which only ceased after they prayed before the statue. Ever since, people have come here to pray for relief from pain.
Next to the main entrance, embedded in the outer wall, are iron measuring rods once used in the Middle Ages to check fabrics sold by merchants – the Viennese ell and cloth measure. Nearby, you can also find the mysterious inscription “O5”. During World War II, this was a secret code used by the Austrian resistance against the Nazis: “O” stood for Österreich (Austria) and “5” for the fifth letter of the alphabet, “E”, symbolizing Ernst (freedom).
During the Austro-Hungarian era, there was an unwritten rule that no church could be taller than the cathedral’s south tower, which rises to about 136 meters. For example, the basilica in Linz was built just two meters lower. Today, Steffl still towers over the heart of Vienna and surely holds many more secrets yet to be discovered.