Vienna St. Stephen's Cathedral, Austrian medieval monument. The national symbol of Austria is St. Stephen's Cathedral. St. Stephen's Cathedral: architecture, relics and landmarks Vienna Cathedral
St. Stephen's Cathedral survived many wars and became a symbol of Vienna's freedom. The Gothic building dates back to the 12th century and features a diamond-pattern tiled roof added in 1952.
Myths and facts
The first church on the site was a Romanesque one, which was replaced by a much larger Romanesque basilica in 1147. A major fire in 1258 destroyed this building and at the beginning of the 14th century the construction of a real Gothic cathedral began.
The new structure also suffered damage during the Turkish siege of 1683 and then in the final days of World War II when the roof caught fire. The temple was reopened in 1948, the roof was repaired and decorated with ceramic tiles donated by Viennese citizens in 1950.
Among the important events that took place in St. Stephen's Cathedral are the wedding in 1782 and his funeral in December 1791.
What to see
The cathedral is an impressive dark stone Gothic building with a colorful tiled roof and a north tower over 135m high, called Alter Steffl. Originally built between 1359 and 1433, the tower was reconstructed after being seriously damaged during the war. Climb the 343 steps of the spiral staircase and you will see a breathtaking view of Vienna from above.
The northern tower (Nordturm) was not completed on time, so it does not look like the first one. It was built in the Renaissance style in 1529. From the top of this tower there is an equally beautiful view and you can look at the Pummerin bell (there is an elevator to go up). The Pummerin Bell is one of the largest bells in the world. It was cast from a cannon captured in 1683. This bell rings throughout the city on New Year's Eve.
The inscription "Ö5" carved into stone on the massive entrance door has important historical significance. The number 5 is the fifth letter of the alphabet - E. When added to O it gives OE, which is the abbreviation Österreich(). This was a secret sign of resistance to the Nazi annexation of Austria.
The interior is interesting with many bas-reliefs and sculptures, as well as important works of art. One of the greatest treasures of Stephen's Cathedral is the Wiener Neustadt altar, installed in 1447 in the left choir chapel. Richly gilded and painted, it depicts the Virgin Mary surrounded by Saints Catherine and Barbara.
The 15th-century stone pulpit (a structure for reading the Holy Scriptures and singing) in the middle of the nave represents the images of the four fathers of the Latin Church: Ambrose, Jerome, Gregory and Augustine. A rare self-portrait of artist Anton Pilgram under a staircase marks the transition point into the Renaissance, when artists began signing their works in lieu of anonymity. The railings of the pulpit are covered with interesting symbols: lizards of animal light, toads of animal darkness and “dogs of the Lord.”
Also of note is the unusual 17th-century tomb of Emperor Frederick III, which depicts hideous creatures attempting to awaken the emperor.
Vienna also has palaces
In Moscow there is the Kremlin, in Berlin there is the Brandenburg Gate, and what about in Vienna? The city center and symbol of Vienna for many centuries has been the main Catholic shrine - St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephensdom). It cannot be confused with other European Catholic cathedrals for a very simple reason - of the two high towers with spiers due to it, only one was completed. As in St. Petersburg, Stefansdom does not belong to the Christian church, but to the city. Which leaves its mark on his visit.
1. The cathedral was built for three and a half centuries, and before us is the oldest part of it built. These are the Romanesque towers and portal (1230-1245). And the first church on this site was built in 1147, when Yuri Dolgoruky first mentioned the name of Moscow in a letter. 
2. In the 15th century, high Gothic towers with spiers began to be built, but only the southern one could be built (pictured). In 1511, construction of the cathedral ceased, and the north tower remained unfinished. 
3. On the wall of the temple, medieval Viennese length standards made of metal strips have been preserved. The circle on the wall was the standard for the size of the bread being baked. 
4. Upon entering the temple, one immediately notices the fence dividing the hall into two zones. Anyone can enter the first zone; here you can sit, pray and light a candle. But to enter the central nave and the main altar you need to buy a ticket. Also, the ticket price may include a visit to the reliquary museum, climbing the north and south towers, as well as an excursion to the catacombs. This ticket is valid for several days. 
5. The central Gothic nave of the cathedral is dedicated to St. Stephen. 
6. On one of the columns there is a pulpit with unique carvings. 
7.
8.
9. The author of the department was the sculptor Anton Pilgram (1460-1516), who depicted himself “supporting” a balcony on the northern wall of the cathedral. 
10. The southern nave is dedicated to the twelve apostles. One of the three organs of the temple is installed in it. 
11. There are a whole lot of small altars here, as well as a bed for imperial persons (on the right in the photo). 
12. All altars are decorated with sculptures of the apostles. 
13.
14. The northern nave is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is crowned by the Neustadt altar. 
15. Detail of the 15th century altar. 
16. Many of the cathedral’s abbots are buried in the temple. 
17. And under this magnificent tombstone lies the body of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor. The famous Prince Eugene of Savoy is also buried in the cathedral. 
18. Main altar. 
19. On the occasion of the New Year, it was decorated with fir trees and bouquets of flowers. 
20. Sculpture of the Virgin Mary crowning the altar of St. Stephen. 
21. Most of the stained glass in the cathedral has been preserved. 
22. Antique glass in the doors leading to the ode of six chapels attached to the main room. 
23. A huge Romanesque window is located behind the main organ. 
24. The main organ of the cathedral was installed in 1960; the previous one was destroyed in a fire in 1945. 
25. It is decorated with figures of flying angels and is the largest in Austria. 
26. The organ has 125 registers and 10 thousand organ pipes. 
27. It is controlled by four rows of keyboards and pedals. 
28.
29. After admiring the organ, we will pass the cathedral reliquary museum. 
30. On the way, you can see up close the blocked window on the Romanesque façade. 
31.
32. Hall vaults. 
33. The reliquary contains various objects used in worship. 
34.
35.
36. Persian glass vessels. 
37. Pommel of the archbishop's staff. 
38.
39. One of the lists of the miraculous Pec icon. 
40. Upon closer examination, it turned out that the halos were decorated with a relief pattern, and the board itself was eaten away by woodworms. 
41. Also collected here are a significant number of arks for holy relics. 
42. Bones are stored on the shelves of cabinets and in the vault. 
43. There is even a whole glassed-in coffin. 
44. Skulls. 
45.
46. Pelvic bone. 
47. Leg bones. 
48. But most of the bones are kept under the floor of the cathedral and the adjacent square. In the 18th century, up to 11 thousand bodies were buried in the catacombs, an underground cemetery. Now many bones are dumped in disorder in underground casemates. You can go there on a guided tour, but photography is prohibited, so here is a photo from the Internet. 
49. Another opportunity that we couldn’t help but take advantage of was climbing the towers. The spiral staircase leading to the north tower was dismantled, and instead an elevator with a round cabin was built into the shaft. 
50. At the top we find ourselves on a large open area where the tower spire was to be erected. 
51. From the fenced area there is a beautiful view of the tiled roof of the cathedral. 
52. The roof covering consists of 230 thousand colored tiles. They are lined with images of the coats of arms of Austria and Vienna. 
53. And also a view of the Gothic lace of the neighboring tower. 
54. And to the city, of course. 
55. Another symbol of Vienna is the old Ferris wheel in Prater Park. 
56. And on the horizon you can see giant wind generators rotating their blades. 
57. The chimney of the Spittelau incineration plant, designed by the famous architect Hundertwasser, is smoking. 
58. The chimneys of the Simmering power station are smoking. If desired, in the photo you can see the top of the combat anti-aircraft tower No. 5 in Arenbergpark and the domes of the Viennese gasometers. 
59. The main bell, Pummerin, weighing 21 tons, is installed in the same tower. The original bell was cast in 1711 and was destroyed in a fire in 1945. 
60. Climbing the south tower is only on foot along a terribly narrow spiral staircase. The staircase is so narrow that it is very difficult to pass oncoming tourists. 
61. Inhabitants of the tower. 
62. At the top we find ourselves in a small room with a souvenir shop. 
63. The walls of the room are decorated like 19th century inscriptions. 
64. So are the newer ones left by our compatriots. As we remember, it was Soviet troops who liberated Vienna. 
65. From here the views of the city are even more breathtaking. 
66. Vienna is a very even city in terms of number of floors, only in a few places it was allowed to build high-rise buildings. 
67. Belvedere Palace. 
68. Dome of St. Peter's Church. 
69. Minoritenkirche and City Hall. 
70. St. Michael's Church, Hofburg and the Austrian Parliament. 
71. From the tower you can see the city right up to the very outskirts. 
72. That's all. Whoever read to the end - well done! 
St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna (German: Stephansdom, colloquially Steffl) is a Catholic cathedral, the national symbol of Austria and the symbol of the city of Vienna. Chair of the Vienna Archbishop - Primate of Austria. Located in the center of the old town on St. Stefan (Stephensplatz). The first temple on the site of the cathedral was built in 1137-1147; The cathedral within its current boundaries was built in the 13th-15th centuries and acquired its modern appearance by 1511.
The cathedral is home to kestrels, bats, and stone martens.
Satellite photograph of the cathedral.
Expansion of the cathedral in the XII-XV centuries:
Romanesque towers and portal, 1230-1245;
second church, 1263;
Albert's Choirs, 1304-1340;
perestroika under Rudolf IV, c 1359.
In 1137, Margrave Leopold IV, together with Reginmar, Bishop of Passau, founded the first church; it was completed in 1147 in the Romanesque style. In 1230-1245 it was expanded to the west; Since then, the western (“Romanesque”) wall of the cathedral with a portal and two towers has been preserved, later rebuilt in the Gothic style. In 1258 the first church burned down.
In 1263, a second church was built in its place, also in the Romanesque style; The day of the consecration of the cathedral, April 23, is celebrated to this day. In 1304-1340, under Albert I and Albert II, the three-nave Albert choir was added to the church from the east, absorbing the transept of the second church and surviving to this day; the work was completed 77 years after the consecration of the second church.
The northern nave was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the middle one to St. Stephen and all the saints, the southern one to the twelve apostles. On April 7, 1359, Rudolf IV laid the first stone of a new, Gothic church on the site of the modern southern tower. According to the plans of the architects of the 14th century, the walls of the new cathedral were placed outside the existing church, and only then the walls of the old one should be dismantled (this happened only in 1430). Albert's choirs, which were quite wide, were preserved.
In 1433 the south tower was completed (architects M. Knab, P. and H. Prachatitz, 1359), and the roofing of the new church took almost 30 years (1446-1474). It is surprising that the foundation of the high southern tower is only 1.5 m. There are 343 steps leading to the observation deck of the tower. In the second tier, the figure of St. Stephen (1460), one of the oldest statues in the cathedral, deserves attention. It once decorated the façade of the cathedral. The figure is installed at the Starhemeberg bench, from which Count Rüdiger Starhemeberg observed the Turkish troops during the first siege. Today the tower ends with a double-headed eagle holding a heraldic shield with the motto of Emperor Franz Joseph I "Viribus Unitis" (Uniting Efforts) and the imperial monogram. Above the eagle is a cross with two crossbars.
The northern tower was founded in 1450 (architect G. Puchsbaum). According to the technology of that time, the lime used to prepare the solution was quenched with young wine, after which the solution, when it hardened, became especially strong. But in the year when the foundation of the tower was laid, the wine turned out to be too sour and the solution deteriorated. The foundation began to sag, construction was stopped for 17 years and continued only after the foundation had completely settled. In 1511 construction was stopped and the tower remained unfinished. In 1578, at an altitude of 68.3, it was completed with a Renaissance dome. The Viennese jokingly call it “the roof of the water tower.” Since the northern tower began to be built under Emperor Frederick III, who after the coronation chose a double-headed eagle as his coat of arms, from then on the tower began to be called the Eagle, and the tower portal leading to the Women's Nave - the Eagle.
To the right is the north tower.
Eagle portal.
Holy Apostle and First Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen- the first Christian martyr, brought to the court of the Sanhedrin and stoned for Christian preaching in Jerusalem around 33-36 AD. e. The main source telling about the service and martyrdom of St. Stephen, is the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles. St. Stephen is revered by the church as the first martyr, archdeacon and apostle from the 70s. Memorial Day of the First Martyr Stephen in Orthodoxy - December 27 (January 9, new style); in Western tradition - December 26.
According to the book of Acts, Stephen, along with six other fellow believers, was chosen by the apostles to be a deacon (minister) to maintain order and justice in the “daily distribution of needs” (Acts 6:1). The election of deacons occurred after outrage over unfair distributions that arose among Christians from the “Hellenists”, that is, as this word is usually interpreted, Jews who came to Jerusalem from the diaspora and spoke Greek. Stefan himself, who bore a Greek name (ancient Greek for “wreath”), most likely also came from the diaspora. He was the eldest among the seven deacons, which is why he is called the archdeacon
As Acts 6:8 shows, Stephen's activities were not limited to the ministry assigned to him by the apostles. He, like the apostles themselves, preached the word of God in Jerusalem and was brought to trial by representatives of the synagogue (or synagogues) of Diaspora Jews who entered into a dispute with him (Acts 6:9). The speech of Stephen cited in the book of Acts at the trial of the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-53) allows us to make an assumption that it was in Stephen’s sermon that was regarded as “blasphemous words against this holy place and against the law” (Acts 6:13). Stephen's speech, the longest of the many speeches given in the book of Acts, is a kind of retelling of the history of Israel. Stephen begins the story with Abraham's exit from Mesopotamia and, through the story of Joseph and Moses, comes to Solomon's construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Speaking about the Temple, Stephen quotes the words of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 66:1-2, Acts 7:49-50) to prove that “the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands” (Acts 7:48). The epithet “made by hand” was used in relation to pagan idols, and to apply it to the Temple was unheard of blasphemy. According to most researchers, it was precisely the criticism of the temple cult that arose among the “Hellenistic” Christians that became the cause of the “great persecution of the church in Jerusalem” (Acts 8:1), which began with the arrest of Stephen. Apparently, the Jewish focus on Jerusalem and the Temple seemed to Stephen and his associates to be poorly compatible with the universal character of the Christian gospel. At the end of his speech, having accused his judges of murdering the Righteous One who had come, according to the predictions of Moses and the prophets, Stephen, according to the story of the book of Acts, experienced theophany: “behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” These words were perceived as the utmost blasphemy, so those who listened stopped their ears and drowned out Stephen's speech with a cry, after which they “rushed upon him, and brought him out of the city, and began to stone him” (Acts 7:55-57).
The first mention of a church holiday dedicated to the memory of St. Stephen, are contained in the Funeral Homily in memory of Basil the Great, written by his brother Gregory of Nyssa (381), the “Apostolic Institutions” and the Syriac monthly book of the end of the 4th century, indicating the date December 26, the day after the Nativity of Christ: “We are one holiday we do after another. Yesterday the Lord of the World called us to his feast, and today the follower of the Lord is Stefan. Yesterday Christ took on human flesh for the sake of us people, and today Stephen left the earth for the sake of Christ.” The same date is mentioned in early Armenian and Latin sources. Later, in Byzantium, December 26 became the day of celebration of the Council of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in the 7th century, honoring the memory of St. Stephen was moved to the third day of the holidays, December 27. The Byzantine tradition has been preserved in Orthodoxy, while Western churches still adhere to the original date of December 26.
Separate celebrations are established on the occasion of the discovery and transfer of the relics of St. Stefan:
On September 15 (28 New Style), the Orthodox Church celebrates the discovery of the relics of the first martyr Archdeacon Stephen, on August 2 (15) - the transfer of the relics of the first martyr Archdeacon Stephen from Jerusalem to Constantinople;
In Catholicism, the discovery of the relics of the first martyr was traditionally celebrated on August 3.
Plan of the cathedral.
Chapter - a building for the meeting of clergy.
A cenotaph is a symbolic grave that does not contain the body of the deceased.
Altar - in the West, unlike the Orthodox Church, it is a throne, that is, a table on which the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated (the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ). An altar image is also often called an altar.
For three centuries, the Church of St. Stephen's remained nothing more than a parish church. The margraves of Austria tried to establish an episcopal see in Vienna, but the bishops of Passau, the then spiritual rulers of Austria, resisted this. The Vienna diocese was established only in 1469, under pressure from Emperor Frederick III. So the church of St. Stephen's became a cathedral. Soon after these events, in 1476-1487, the sculptor and composer Wilhelm Rollinger installed unique carved choirs inside the cathedral, and in 1513 an organ was installed in the cathedral. The 16th-17th centuries, filled with religious and Austro-Turkish wars, changed the cathedral little. During this era, the ideology of Pietas Austriaca, Catholic in spirit and Baroque in form, was established in Austria, and the interiors of the cathedral were also redesigned in the Baroque style. Reconstruction began in 1647 - with a new, Baroque, altar by Johann Jacob and Tobias Pock (1647). In 1693 and 1697, two images of the Virgin Mary were painted, and in 1700 two side altars were installed. Finally, 40 years after the expulsion of the Turks from Vienna, in 1722, the status of the cathedral and diocese was raised to archbishopric.
1945 fire and recovery
The cathedral was not damaged during the bombing of the Second World War and withstood the first days of the Vienna offensive operation of the Soviet troops, which began on April 2, 1945. During the retreat from Vienna, the city commandant, General Sepp Dietrich, ordered German artillery to destroy the center of Vienna, but the order was not carried out. On April 11, 1945, local looters set fire to looted shops; the next day the fire spread to the cathedral. The roof collapsed from the fire; the bell fell inside the North Tower and broke; the interiors (including the 15th-century Rollinger choir) were almost completely destroyed. The pulpits and most valuable relics were preserved, as they were protected by brick sarcophagi.
The cathedral was restored by the labor of volunteers - by December 19, 1948, the roof over the main nave was restored, and services resumed on April 23, 1952 (on the 689th anniversary of the cathedral). Post-war reconstruction was completed only in 1960.
All nine states of Austria took part in the restoration of Stefansdom. Residents of these lands donated money:
Burgenland - on the communion benches,
Carinthia - on chandeliers,
Lower Austria - on a stone floor,
Salzburg - on a casket for storing holy communion,
Vorarlberg - to the seating areas,
Tyrol - on the windows,
Styria - to the portal in the "Gate of Giants",
Veins - on roof tiles,
Upper Austria - to the new Pummerin.
In the 1980s, a second phase of full-scale restoration began, which continues to this day. The main problem of St. Stephen - superficial destruction of limestone walls and statues. Restorers are forced to replace individual stones and statues, using both medieval tools and computer-controlled stone cutting machines. They work in a special workshop at the temple.
ARCHITECTURE
Dimensions
The height of the southern tower is 136.44 m.
The height of the northern tower (unfinished) is 68.3 m.
The height of the walls of the side naves is 60 m.
The length and width of the cathedral at ground level is 198.2 x 62 m.
The height of the vaults of the central nave is 28 m.
During Habsburg times, no church in Austria-Hungary could be higher than the south tower of St. Stefan.
North side.
South side. Habsburg Eagle. When photographing the cathedral from the square, this part of the roof is covered by a tall southern tower.
The length of the roof of the main nave is 110 m, and the height from the gutter to the ridge of the roof is 37.85 m, while the slope of the roof in some places reaches 80° to the horizontal. At such angles of inclination, rainwater can effectively wash the tiled roof, and rare snow falls down without stopping. The supporting frame of the roof was initially made of wood (over 2000 m2), and after the fire of 1945 - of steel (about 600 tons). The roof covering consists of 230,000 colored tiles covered with glaze. They lined images of the national coat of arms and the coat of arms of the city of Vienna.
The three-nave structure of the basilica suggests the presence of three entrance portals, but there is only one central Gigantic portal or Giant's Gate (Riesentor, Riesentor, 1230), preserved from the Romanesque basilica. The name may be due to the huge dragon bone (actually a mammoth bone) located in the narthex. It was found during construction work in the 15th century.
To the right and left of the Gigantic Portal, fragments of three-tiered pagan towers have been preserved. During the construction of the first cathedral these were the portal towers. During the reconstruction they became part of the main facade. The name - pagan towers (Heidenturme) - is explained by the fact that stone from various Roman temples was used in their construction. However, the word heidenisch means “elderly, elderly.” During the reconstruction of the Romanesque church in the Gothic style, the height of the towers was increased and now reaches 65.6 m. The outline of the pagan towers, which are lower than the central lancet window, is clearly visible in the photograph.
The theme of the sculptural design of the portal is the Last Judgment. In tipmpan - Christ in Power, supported by angels. To the right and left of the angels are the apostles and evangelists Mark and Luke. These are witnesses to the Last Judgment. Under the apostles, above the capitals of the columns, to the left of the portal are demons tempting man: the devil in the form of a monkey, tightening a noose around a man’s neck; a man swinging an ax at another; chimeras.
The devil in the form of a monkey tightening a noose around a man's neck.
To the right of the portal is a man in the grip of vices: a fox pulling a man’s hair; a man protecting himself from dragons, behind which stands the devil. The columns at the entrance to the temple are entwined with grapevines - a symbol of communion. Above the entrance on the wall there is a sculpture of Samson tearing the mouth of a lion; a judge (secular justice was also administered in the cathedral), sitting with his legs crossed, he is called “pulling out a thorn”; figure of St. Stefan, copy 1997
Samson.
Pulling out a splinter
Near the main portal and along the perimeter of the walls are located:
Chair of St. Joanna Capistrana, with whom he called for a crusade against the Turks in 1454. Despite the fact that the man whom the saint tramples on has an assailant on his head, this is not a Ukrainian Cossack, but a Turk.
Coat of arms of the Hungarian city Komádi.
Heavy wars with the Ottoman Empire left their mark on heraldry. A number of noble and city coats of arms depict a severed head with a donkey and a drooping mustache, often impaled on a saber. Experts in Western heraldry describe this head as the head of a Turk, and nothing else.
“Christ with a Toothache,” so called because of the expression on the Savior’s face.
According to legend, several guys laughed at the sculpture. Their teeth hurt so much that they could neither eat nor drink, and relief came only after a prayer of repentance.
On the left pagan tower there are two iron measures of length - medieval Viennese length standards: Leinenelle=89.6 cm, Tuchelle=77.6 cm.
El, elbow (a measure of length; the distance from the extended middle finger to the top of the shoulder (and not to the elbow, as in the Russian elbow); in England - 45 inches, or 114 cm; in Scotland - 37 inches, or 94 cm).
Nearby is a round measure of bread. A craftsman whose goods did not meet these standards was put in a wooden cage and dipped into the Danube.
Next to the measures, the sign O5 is scratched, which served as a kind of password for the anti-fascist resistance during the annexation of Austria. E is the fifth letter of the alphabet. The German name for Austria - Österreich - begins with the letter O-umlaut, that is, with the letter O with two dots above it. If it is impossible to use diacritics, letters with an umlaut in the German language are traditionally replaced with digraphs: Ö with OE.
Written by our sappers: “The block has been checked” (no mines).
Sundial on flying buttress
Bronze model of the cathedral (scale 1:100) near the southern wall of the cathedral.
The explanatory inscription is made in Braille (for the blind).
The southwestern portal is called the Singing Portal (Singertor, 1360), through which singers and men entered the cathedral. Singertor is a wonderful example of High Gothic. The theme of the sculptural design is episodes from the life of St. Paul. In the upper tier of the tympanum - the baptism and martyrdom of Paul, in the lower - the journey of Saul (Paul's name before baptism) to Damascus, Saul's insight, Saul's conversion. The history of the Apostle Paul is closely connected with the history of St. Stephen (it was at the feet of Paul that Stephen’s executioners, having believed, laid down their clothes). The portal is framed by figures of the apostles.
In addition, to the right of the portal, on the cantilever ledge of the wall, there is a figure of Duke Rudolf IV the Founder holding a model of the cathedral, and to the left of the portal is a symmetrical figure of Duchess Catherine with a scepter in her hands. The model of the cathedral held by the Duke shows two symmetrical towers. Next to the Duke is a servant with a coat of arms.
Duchess Catherine.
The Bishop's Portal (Bischofstor, 1360) is located in the north-west of the cathedral. The bishop entered through him, and besides him, the townswomen. The theme of the sculptural decoration is the Ascension of the Mother of God. At the top of the scene is the coronation of the Virgin Mary, below it is the Ascension. The arch contains images of female saints. In addition to them, there are figures of Duke Albrecht III and his wife.
Photo from the official website of the cathedral.
Craftsmen from Ireland took part in the construction of the cathedral. On the northwest corner of the church they depicted St. Stephen.
RELICS AND SIGHTS
PEC ICON OF THE VIRGIN MARY 
In 1676, Hungarian Laszlo Szygri ordered an icon of the Mother of God for the village of Pecs in memory of the liberation from Turkish captivity. The icon ended up in the Pech church and in 1696 became famous for its miracles; Emperor Leopold I took it to Vienna, leaving a copy for the villagers. The copy was also considered miraculous, so Pöcs became a place of pilgrimage and was renamed Mariapöcs. Until 1945, the icon hung at the main altar, now it is in the southwestern corner, next to the main portal.
According to legend, during the battle with the Turks at Zenta near the Tisza River on September 11, 1697 (the Austrians were led by Prince Eugene of Savoy), tears flowed from the eyes of the Mother of God for two weeks.
An organ with four rows of keys, one hundred and twenty-five registers and ten thousand organ pipes, this “giant organ” is one of the largest in Europe. The Gothic organ, located on the northern wall, was lost in 1720. But the organ pedestal (heel) made by A. Pilgram (1513) survived. The sculptor depicted himself in the image of the cathedral builder, also looking out of the window. He holds a square and a compass in his hands. Under the portrait there is an inscription: “Master of 1513.” A new large organ was installed in 1886 and destroyed in 1945. The modern organ of the cathedral was mounted above the western portal in 1960.
Master Pilgram.
BELLS
Pummerin
There are a total of 23 bells in the belfry, 20 of them are in use, and each has its own role. The large bell of the northern tower, Pummerin (official name St. Mary), weighing 21,383 kg (according to other sources 20,130 kg) was cast in 1951 in St. Florian and installed in 1957 to replace the bell of the same name, cast in 1711 from 180 cannons captured during the second Turkish siege of Vienna, and crashed in a fire in 1945. Pummerin rings eleven times a year - on great holidays, on the day of the consecration of the cathedral (April 23) and on New Year's Eve; The longest, ten-minute ringing, marks the death and enthronement of the Pope and the Viennese Archbishop. It is the second largest bell in Europe (after the Peter Bell of Cologne Cathedral). According to other sources, it is the third swinging bell in Europe after Peter (23,500 kg) of Cologne Cathedral and Maria Dolens (22,700 kg) in Italy. In the West, to strike a bell, the bell itself is swung, these are the so-called oche bells. Language bells are common among us. However, old Pummerin had eight people swinging his tongue, and it hung not on the low northern tower, but on the high southern one.
For the daily ringing of the bells, 11 electrically driven bells of the south tower, installed in 1960, are used. Of these, four are used before the start of the regular mass, the number increases to ten on holidays and to eleven when the archbishop himself serves. The bells are named after St. Stephen (5700 kg); St. Leopold (2300 kg); St. Christopher (1350 kg); St. Leonard (950 kg); St. Joseph the Betrothed (700 kg); Jesuit Peter Canisius (400 kg); Pope Pius X (280 kg); All Saints (200 kg); Clement Maria Hofbauer (120 kg); Archangel Michael (60 kg); and Saint Tarsicius (35 kg).
On one of the two pagan towers, on the north, there are six bells: the Feuerin ("fire bell"), cast in 1859, now used in evening services, as well as the Kantnerin, cast in 1772, named after those accompanying the service musicians; Feringerin; Bieringin ("beer bell" indicating the closing time of the tavern); the funeral bell “Poor Souls” and Churpotsch, donated to the cathedral in honor of the Pecs Icon of the Mother of God located in the cathedral.
The tallest south tower also has two historic bells that survived the fire: the Primglocke, cast in 1772, and the Uhrschalle, cast in 1449, which chime the hours.
At one time, Ludwig van Beethoven realized that he had completely lost his hearing when he saw birds fly up from the bell tower of the cathedral, scared by the ringing of the bells, but he did not hear the sound.
Until the 17th century, ringing bells were used everywhere in Rus', just like in the West, since we also borrowed church bell ringing from the West. 
These miniatures of the vault clearly show that the rope held by the bell-ringer is not attached to the tongue.
The bells were installed in spans or niches, and the spans in width (and the niches, in addition, in height and depth) were laid out, if possible, in the size of the bell, taking into account its scope. In cases where bells were placed in niches (seven monuments with a similar ringing arrangement are known in Russia), the back or side walls of the niche, and sometimes the vault above it, were cut through with special ear canals so that the sound would not be muffled when ringing.
The bell was fastened to an iron rod of square cross-section - “matitsa”. To pass the matrix at the top of the bell, there is a “mother cell” - a large loop with a slot, on the sides of which there are additional loops - “bell ears”. The matitsa was threaded into the loop and jammed in it. For rigidity, both the loops, the mat, and the tops of the ears were embedded in a spindle-shaped oak block (“shaft”), assembled from wedges and bound with hoops. Iron loops threaded through the ears were draped over the shaft. The ends of the matrix extending out on both sides of the shaft were forged round. These ends were inserted into iron “sockets” previously laid by masons in the bell pillars. Fearing the deflection of the matrix, the craftsmen tried to make it as short as possible - slightly larger than the diameter of the bell, so that the ends of the shaft could be inserted into the masonry. The bell, tightly fastened to the shaft, was lifted onto the bell tower and placed in the socket. So they said: “put a bell.”
An ochep (otsep, ochap) was attached horizontally to the shaft from below - a long or short pole with a rope at the end. For a heavy bell, the rope ended in a stirrup, where the bell ringer put his foot, helping himself when ringing. If the efforts of several people were required to set the bell in motion, additional ropes with their own stirrups were tied to the main rope or rope, and a ringer stood at each. For the giant bells, which stood, like Godunov’s “Tsar Bell,” in open spans, the supports were made on both sides of the span, and the whole system resembled a rocker.
The need for a second bell also arises because with a long and heavy pole, the bell in a stationary position is installed at an angle and does not immediately begin to ring when swinging. In the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, bell ringers use a second ochep as a counterweight to straighten the bell - without a rope. For the same purpose, a counterweight in the form of a box of stones was sometimes used.
The external method of ringing the bells (when the bell-ringers stand on the ground) is the main difference between the Old Russian method of ringing and the Western European one, where the bells are set in motion from the inside of the bell towers. This tradition should be associated, first of all, with the composition of Russian ringing. Unlike the countries of Western Europe, which transferred their ringing technique to Rus' (for example, Italy and Germany, where there was definitely no interest in collecting bells, but where very early they began to build high stone bell towers for one or two bells), Russian churches have long possessed entire collections of bells , differing in tone and sound and hung and arranged in a special way.
For Europe, with its developed medieval construction technology and huge cathedrals, it was not difficult to arrange a room for one, two or even three bells inside church towers (it was enough to place the bell along with the ochep on the upper platform of the tower with the ochep inward, and throw the ropes into an empty well , which is often the upper tiers of European bell towers). However, in Russia, where in the most modest rural church there were at least three bells, and in monasteries from five to nine only ochepnye (evangelists in the middle ones), it was already difficult to collect them all under one roof - both due to the small capacity of the bell towers, not making it possible to turn the bells inward, and because of the heaviness of the bells, for swinging which could require not one, but two or three ringers per bell, not counting the bell ringers for ringing the tongues of small ringing bells. All this abundance of bells needed to be hung up, and the crowd of bell-ringers had to be arranged in some order so that the numerous ropes would not get tangled with each other, the bell-ringers would not push each other, and the ringing would occur in a coordinated manner. It follows that when creating their own bell towers, Russian architects had to solve significantly different problems than Western European architects - not so much “collecting” as dispersing bell ringers and bells.
Not the least role in the consolidation of external ringing techniques in Rus' was played by the slow pace of stone construction in the post-Mongol period - before the construction of bell structures began (that is, bell towers in the proper sense of the word, and not belfries), the external form of ringing became a tradition.
Starting from the time of Ivan the Terrible and especially during the time of Alexei Mikhailovich, bells of greater and greater weight began to be cast, and the bells often began to fall into disrepair. Petitions to the Tsar have been preserved: “We ask you to replace the iron on the chip, otherwise you have to ring tongues.” So, gradually, as a necessary measure, tongue ringing began to be used when ringing super-heavy bells.
By the end of the 17th century, the ringing of bells had already been abandoned everywhere and the modern tradition of bell ringing had developed in Rus'. Small bells, however, were previously rung by the tongue.
In our time, the ringing ringing has been preserved only in the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery; it is in this way that three large bells are rung there. When swinging, the body of the bell and its tongue initially move with the same phase. No matter how much you swing it, it will not ring, because the body of the bell and its tongue move together. Then the swaying necklace is held, and only then is the ringing heard. With this method, it is difficult to coordinate the ringing of several bells of different sizes.
Modern western tower bells.
DEPARTMENT
A carved 15th-century bishop's cathedra is attributed to Nikolaus Gerhart. To naturally enhance the sound, the pulpit is leaned against a column in the center of the main nave. It is decorated with statues of the four first teachers of the church - Augustine the Blessed (biography), Ambrose of Milan (biography), Jerome of Stridon (biography), Gregory the Great. Under the stairs there is a small sculptural portrait of someone “looking out of a window,” probably a self-portrait of the sculptor.
The pulpit is made of three sandstone blocks. For a long time it was attributed to master A. Pilgram.
Sculptural portraits of the Church Fathers symbolize 4 temperatures and 4 ages: St. Ambrosius - youth and sanguine; St. Jerome - old age and choleric; Gregory I the Great - maturity and phlegmatic; St. Augustine is young and melancholic. 
St. Augustine (youth and melancholic).
The railings of the staircase leading to the pulpit are decorated with a decorative pattern of rolling wheels. Wheels with three spokes, a symbol of the Holy Trinity, roll upward. With four spokes, a symbol of everything earthly - 4 seasons, 4 temperaments, 4 ages, rolling down. The railings themselves are decorated with a fantastic ornament of snakes, toads and lizards devouring each other - an allegory of the struggle between good (lizards) and evil. A small stone dog guards the bishop escorting him from the pulpit and does not allow amphibians to go upstairs. 
ALTARIES
There are 18 altars in the cathedral, not counting the altars in the chapels.
The most famous of them are the central (high) altar and the Wiener Neustadter Altar. 
This is an amazingly beautiful Gothic altar (wood carving, painting), made in 1447. The altar bears the name of the city in which it was previously located, and is now located in the "ladies" nave. The altar was created by order of Emperor Frederick III for the Cistercian monastery. The altar was moved to Vienna in 1884 after the monastery was closed. Gilded wooden figures depict scenes from the life of the Mother of God. The altar doors are open only on Sundays, and closed on other days. On the outside of the doors there are figures of 72 saints, painted brown. 
Main altar (Hochaltar) 
Made of black marble in 1640-1660. T. and I.Ya. Pokkami. It is considered the first baroque altar in Vienna. The statues next to the altar depict the patron saints of Vienna - Saints Leopold and Florian, as well as the saints - protectors from the plague - Roch and Sebastian. The altarpiece depicts the suffering of St. Stephen.
Altar of Franz Seraphicus.
Altar of St. Januarius.
Altar of St. Joseph.
Altar of St. Catherine or St. Cecilia.
Altar of St. Leopold.
Altar of the heart of Jesus Christ.
Altar of Our Lady.
Another masterpiece is the tomb of Emperor Frederick III, decorated with 240 figures. It is located south of the high altar in the Apostolic (male) nave.
The sarcophagus was made (by master N. Gerhard from Leiden, 1467-1513) from red Hallein marble. The emperor ordered the tombstone 30 years before his death. The pedestal of the sarcophagus is decorated with mythical creatures, animals, skulls - symbols of the emperor's coat of arms. The reliefs on the walls of the sarcophagus are his good deeds. At the top are bishops, monks and priests from the monasteries founded by the monarch, praying for Frederick's salvation. At the top is a sculptural image of the emperor, at his head is a figurine of St. Christopher. Whoever looks at her will avert sudden death from himself for a year. 
Top view of the tomb. The photograph is placed next to the tomb.
Frederick III(German Friedrich III.; September 21, 1415, Innsbruck - August 19, 1493, Linz) - King of Germany (Roman King) from February 2, 1440 to March 16, 1452 (under the name of Frederick IV), Holy Roman Emperor from March 16, 1452, Archduke of Austria from November 23, 1457 (under the name of Frederick V), Duke of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola from 1424, King of Hungary (nominally) from February 17, 1458 to July 17, 1463 (coronation March 4, 1459), representative of the Leopoldine line of the Habsburg dynasty, last emperor , crowned in Rome, and unifier of the Austrian lands.
Frederick III is considered the last emperor of the Middle Ages.
Pinturicchio: Betrothal of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal (detail), 1502, Libreria Piccolomini, Duomo, Siena
Youth
Frederick V was the eldest son of Ernst the Iron, Duke of Inner Austria, and Cymburga of Mazovia, daughter of Siemowit IV, Duke of Płock and Kujaw. At the age of nine, after the death of his father, Frederick inherited the thrones of the duchies of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola. In 1440, Frederick, as the head of the Habsburg family, was elected king of Germany by the German electors. At the same time, he established his guardianship over the young Ladislaus Postumus, Duke of Austria, and after the latter’s death in 1457, he annexed Austria to his possessions, thus uniting most of the Habsburg lands (except for the Tyrol).
Reign in Germany and relationship with the Pope
The general crisis of the governing bodies of the empire, the ineffectiveness of imperial power and the almost complete independence of the German princes, which gradually grew over the last century, manifested themselves most fully during the reign of Frederick III. He was unable to raise any significant funds in Germany to pursue his own policies, nor to achieve strengthening the power of the emperor. On the other hand, Frederick III did not make any attempts to reform imperial institutions, preserving the system of relations between the emperor and princes and imperial cities, which was outdated in the new era of the Renaissance and the creation of national states. The largest states of Germany repeatedly opposed Frederick III, but the matter did not come to the removal of the emperor from the throne, perhaps due to the disinterest of the electors in the reforms.
Frederick III showed extremely weak participation in church affairs. During the Pope's struggle with the Council of Basel, the king's intervention in this confrontation was minimal, which contrasted sharply with the activity of his predecessor Emperor Sigismund. In 1446, Frederick concluded the Vienna Concordat with the Holy See, which regulated the relations between the Austrian monarchs and the Pope and remained in force until 1806. Under the agreement with the Pope, Frederick received the right to distribute 100 church benefits and appoint 6 bishops.
In 1452, Frederick III traveled to Italy and was crowned in Rome by Pope Nicholas V. This was the last coronation of German emperors in Rome, which meant the renunciation of claims to Italy. It was from this time that the empire received its new official name - “The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.”
Board in Austria
At the same time, realizing the ephemerality of the imperial title, Frederick III sought to strengthen the independence of Austria. In 1453 he approved the "Privilegium Maius" of Rudolf IV, thus confirming the special position of Austria in the empire and the right of the Austrian monarchs to the title of Archduke. As a result, Austria was actually separated from the empire and placed next to it. This was evidenced by the title used by Frederick, in which the Austrian possessions were listed in detail and separately from the title of emperor. Wir Friedrich von gots gnaden Romischer kayser, zu allen zeitten merer des reichs, zu Hungern, Dalmacien, Croacien etx. kunig, hertzog zu Osterreich, zu Steyr, zu Kernndten und zu Krain, herre auf der Windischen march und zu Porttenaw, grave zu Habspurg, zu Tyrol, zu Phyrtt und zu Kyburg, marggrave zu Burgaw und lanndtgrave in Ellsass
Until 1457, the Duke of Austria was the young grandnephew of Frederick III, Ladislaus Postumus, but the emperor actually kept Ladislaus captive, usurping all the latter’s legal powers as a guardian. Frederick's ineffective policies aroused opposition to his power among the Austrian nobility, led by Ulrich Aituiper, strengthened by lean years. The Austrian magnates became close to the Hungarian National Party, which advocated the return of Ladislaus to the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1452, while Frederick III was in Rome, an uprising broke out in Vienna. Under pressure from the opposition, the emperor released Ladislaus, recognized him as the king of the Czech Republic and Hungary and transferred to him the functions of governing Austria. With the death of Ladislaus in 1457, the Albertine line of the Habsburg dynasty was ended and Frederick III annexed the Duchy of Austria to his possessions.
At the same time, in 1457, Frederick’s confrontation with his younger brother Albrecht VI, who was claiming part of the Habsburg inheritance, intensified. In 1458, Frederick was forced to cede Upper Austria to his brother. Soon heavy wars began with the Hungarians, to whom the emperor could not provide effective resistance. The Austrian lands were ravaged and devastated. Frederick III's attempt to mint unsecured money failed, and peasant unrest became more frequent. In 1461, the emperor was besieged by his own brother in Vienna. It was only after the death of Albrecht VI in 1463 that Frederick became the sole ruler of Austria.
Constant conflicts with classes, relatives and Hungarian raids forced the emperor to constantly move from city to city, avoiding the Austrian capital. His court was located either in Graz, then in Linz, or in Wiener Neustadt (in the latter city he built a castle and a monastery). The settlement of relations with the pope allowed Frederick III to achieve in 1469 Rome's consent to the establishment of bishoprics in Vienna and Wiener Neustadt, which his predecessors on the Austrian throne had unsuccessfully sought. However, as in Germany, in Austria Frederick III avoided drastic changes and did not try to carry out any significant improvements in the state apparatus.
Foreign policy
Relations with the Czech Republic and Hungary
During the minority of Ladislaus Postumus, who had rights to the Hungarian and Czech thrones, Frederick III tried to establish his power over these states. However, he failed to create a strong pro-Habsburg party. Civil wars broke out in both kingdoms, bringing to power representatives of the national middle nobility - Jiří from Poděbrady in the Czech Republic and János Hunyadi in Hungary. The Hungarian invasion, coupled with the uprising of the Austrian estates in 1452, forced Frederick to release Ladislaus and return the royal regalia. The leverage over these countries was lost. Moreover, the emperor refused to assist the Hungarians in the fight against the Turks. After the death of Ladislaus in 1457, it was also not possible to keep the Czech Republic and Hungary in the orbit of the Habsburg Monarchy. George of Poděbrady became the King of the Czech Republic, which, after an unsuccessful war for Austria, Frederick was forced to admit in 1459. He had to sell the crown of St. Stephen to Matthias Hunyadi for 80,000 gold forints, and remained the nominal king of Hungary until July 17, 1463. Matthias Hunyadi ascended the throne of Hungary, who soon launched large-scale military operations against the emperor.
In the 1460s. Incessant Hungarian raids began on Austrian lands, which Frederick III, experiencing a chronic lack of funds, could not provide effective resistance. Austria was devastated, and in 1485 the army of Matthias Hunyadi captured Vienna and Wiener Neustadt. Hungarian troops occupied Lower and part of Upper Austria, as well as the eastern regions of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola.
Only the death of Matthias in 1490 made it possible to liberate the Austrian lands, which was carried out by Frederick’s son Maximilian. He also achieved the conclusion of the Treaty of Pozsony, which provided for the Habsburgs' right to inherit the Hungarian throne after the end of the Jagiellon dynasty. Successes in the Hungarian direction at the end of the reign of Frederick III were achieved only thanks to the energetic actions of his son, while the emperor himself practically retreated from politics at the end of his life.
Relations with Switzerland
Frederick III's policy towards the Swiss Confederation also proved ineffective. Attempts to use France to return Swiss lands to Habsburg rule failed: in 1444, Charles VII was defeated under Saint Gotthard. As a result, Thurgau, an ancient possession of the Habsburg family, became part of Switzerland. The emperor's intervention in the civil war of 1468 between the Swiss cantons also ended in failure. At the same time, the strengthening of Burgundy on the western borders of Austrian lands and the threat of losing Alsace forced Frederick III to go in the 1470s. to get closer to the Swiss. In 1474, an Austro-Swiss defensive alliance was concluded against the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold. When the treaty was signed, the Habsburgs renounced their claims to Switzerland “finally and forever.” The war with Burgundy ended successfully for the Swiss: in 1477, Charles the Bold died in the battle of Nancy.
Burgundian inheritance
The death of Charles the Bold opened the question of the Burgundian inheritance. The vast domains of the Dukes of Burgundy, including Franche-Comté, Rethel, Flanders, Brabant, Gennegau, Namur, Holland, Zeeland and Luxembourg, were inherited by Charles's only daughter Maria of Burgundy, who was married to Frederick's son Maximilian. The entry of such vast and rich lands into the Habsburg monarchy immediately brought the dynasty to the forefront of European politics and gave rise to the famous motto of the House of Habsburg: “Let others wage war, you, happy Austria, get married!”
Nevertheless, the French king also put forward claims to the Burgundian inheritance. In 1479, the French troops of Louis XI invaded the Habsburg possessions, which, however, were defeated in the Battle of Gongata. In 1482, the Treaty of Aras was concluded, according to which France received the duchy of Burgundy and Picardy itself, and the Habsburgs retained all other lands of the Burgundian crown. In 1488, the conflict with France resumed as part of the War of the Breton Succession. This time events developed unfavorably for Austria: an uprising broke out in the Netherlands, and Maximilian was captured in Brussels. For the release of his son, Frederick III was forced to agree to the establishment of the Admiralty in the Netherlands in 1489, which marked the beginning of the Dutch Navy.
Beginning of the Austro-Turkish Wars
In 1469, Turkish troops for the first time invaded the borders of the Austrian monarchy. From that time on, regular predatory raids of the Ottoman Empire began on the lands of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola. In 1492, at the Battle of Villach, Austrian troops under the command of Maximilian defeated the Turks, but this did not eliminate the Ottoman threat.
General results of the board
During the reign of Frederick III, the abbreviation AEIOU (from the Latin Austriae est imperare orbi universo) - “Austria must rule the world” - began to be used for the first time. These claims contrasted sharply with the generally disastrous reign of the emperor, who was unable to either carry out any serious changes in his possessions or strengthen the state apparatus. The Czech Republic and Hungary were lost, and imperial rights to Italy were left. Austria was ravaged by numerous internal conflicts and wars with the Hungarians and Turks. The country's financial system was experiencing a protracted crisis. However, it was Frederick III, who organized the marriage of his son with the heiress of Burgundy, who managed to lay the foundation for the future multinational Habsburg empire, which spread its possessions over half the world.
Marriage and children
(1452) Eleanor of Portugal (1436-1476), daughter of Duarte, King of Portugal
Christophe (1455-1456);
Maximilian I (1459-1519), Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria;
Helen (1460-1461);
Johann (1466-1467);
Cunegonde (1465-1520), married to Albrecht VI, Duke of Bavaria
Statue of the Madonna - protector of servants.
The history of the cathedral is inextricably linked with the history of the city and, like the history of any extraordinary place, has become overgrown with legends over the centuries...
.. Many years ago there lived in Vienna a rich countess who was reputed to be very pious; she even had her own small chapel in her house. However, if she did not pray, it was a real devil, before whom all the servants trembled. Among these servants there was an orphan who suffered the most. One day, a valuable pearl necklace disappeared from the countess's box. Without thinking for a second, the countess accused the poor maid of theft. The guards were called... In despair, the girl rushed to the chapel, fell to her knees in front of the Madonna and exclaimed: “Mother of God, help me!”
The Countess, who was watching the maid, just grinned: “This is my Mother of God, she doesn’t need the servants’ prayers!” But the girl did not let up and continued to ask for help. The sergeant, observing this scene, doubted and ordered a search of the house. Soon the jewel was found among the groom's belongings. During interrogation, he admitted to the theft, and the girl was released. The Countess, who no longer wanted to have the Mother of God helping the servants, donated it to the church. The fame of the girl’s miraculous salvation spread throughout the city, and the Madonna gained a reputation as the protector of servants, which has survived to this day.
Cenotaph of Duke Rudolf IV the Founder and his suprega Catherine. The remains of the couple are located in the catacombs of the cathedral, the entrance to which is in the northern tower.
Rudolf IV(German: Rudolf IV.; November 1, 1339, Vienna - July 27, 1365, Milan) - Duke of Austria, Styria and Carinthia (from 1358), Count of Tyrol (from 1363) from the Habsburg dynasty. The first Austrian monarch to assume the title of Archduke. The short reign of Rudolf IV was of great importance for the development of Austrian statehood.
Youth 
Rudolf IV wearing the crown of the Archduke. The first half-front portrait in Western Europe.
Rudolf IV was the eldest son of Albrecht II the Wise, Duke of Austria, and Johanna Pfirt. He was the first ruler of the Habsburg dynasty to be born in Austria and consider Austria, rather than the family domains at home in Switzerland and Swabia, to be his homeland, which greatly contributed to the growth of the Duke's popularity and the expansion of the social base of ducal power in the country. Rudolf IV inherited the throne of Austria after the death of his father in 1358 and, although formally considered only one of the co-rulers, he actually ruled the state alone, since his brothers were still children.
Privilegium Maius
The reign of Rudolf IV in Austria was short, but essential for the development of Austrian statehood and strengthening the position of the state in the international arena. The central point of Rudolf's policy was the struggle to raise the status of Austria and its independence from the Holy Roman Empire. From the very beginning of the Duke's reign, relations between Austria and the Emperor became sharply complicated. In 1356, Charles IV issued the famous “Golden Bull”, limiting the right to elect the emperor to a college of seven electors and turning Germany into an oligarchic union state. Austria, like Bavaria, was not included in the number of electors. In response, Rudolph IV in 1358 published the so-called “Privilegium Maius”, a collection of decrees from previous emperors granting special rights to Austria and its monarchs and making the Austrian state virtually independent of the empire.
In particular, according to the Privilegium Maius, Austrian monarchs received the title of Archduke, placing them in the feudal hierarchy just behind the kings and electors and above the other princes of Germany. In addition, it was stated that the only obligation of the Austrian rulers towards the emperor was the deployment of a military contingent in the event of war with Hungary, and any interference of the emperor in the duke's politics was illegal. The Austrian monarch also usurped the supreme judicial power in his dominions. All Habsburg lands were declared an undivided domain, transmitted through both the male and female lines.
The Privilegium Maius documents were false, but their appearance reflected the growing influence of Austria in Germany and its desire to completely free itself from the rule of the emperor.
Conflict with the Emperor
The publication of the "Privilegium Majus" provoked an extremely hostile reaction from Emperor Charles IV. He refused to recognize the authenticity of the documents, deprived Rudolf IV of the rights of imperial vicar in Alsace and the title of Duke of Swabia, and also supported the actions of the Swiss against the Habsburgs. The Emperor managed to force Rudolf IV to abandon the use of the title of Archduke, but Charles IV had to avoid any interference in the internal affairs of Austria in order to avoid an armed conflict. As a result, Rudolph began to pursue a completely independent policy in his lands.
Relations between Austria and the emperor normalized only towards the end of the reign of Rudolf IV, which made it possible to sign an agreement on mutual inheritance between the Habsburgs and the Luxembourg dynasty in 1364.
Strengthening the central government
The main feature of the domestic policy of Rudolf IV was its decisive focus on strengthening the ducal power and creating a new, centralized state apparatus. Rudolf achieved the transfer of imperial fiefs on the territory of Austria into direct subordination to the duke. The imperial princes who had possessions in Austria recognized the right of the ducal court over them. Moreover, having captured the Patriarch of Aquileia, Rudolf IV forced him to renounce the patriarchate's land holdings in Styria, Carinthia and Carniola.
Under Rudolf IV, the feudal-class administrative system, based on the filling of government positions by ministers who received land fiefs for their service, began to be supplanted by the bureaucratic system of officials paid from the treasury. The Duke also created a broad base of central power among the cities, merchants and small landowners, actively encouraging the development of crafts and trade and supporting the colonization of lands (new settlers were exempt from taxes for three years). Some of the tax privileges of the large aristocracy were abolished and the right of the “dead hand” of the church was limited.
In 1364, wanting to prevent the possible division of Austrian possessions, Rudolf IV signed an agreement with his younger brothers that the Austrian monarchy would remain undivided and would be inherited by all the children of the monarch at once, with the eldest only being considered a regent. This provision went down in the history of Austrian state law as Rudolf's Rule (German: Rudolfinische Hausordnung), but was already violated by the heirs of Rudolf IV.
Development of education and culture
The reign of Rudolf IV was of great importance for the development of education and culture in Austria. In 1365, he founded the University of Vienna, which soon became one of the largest educational institutions in Central Europe and the oldest in the German-speaking countries (although the establishment of the Faculty of Theology, the most important at that time, was delayed for another twenty years).
Under Rudolf IV, St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna was rebuilt and acquired its current architectural appearance, which could now compete with St. Vitus' Cathedral in the imperial capital, Prague. The Duke took great care to decorate Vienna and encouraged urban construction, reducing taxes and helping to establish favorable conditions for obtaining loans. A patron of culture and education, Rudolf IV, in his inclinations and lifestyle, was more reminiscent of the princes of the Italian Renaissance than of a medieval German feudal lord.
Annexation of Tyrol
In 1363, Countess Margaret of Tyrol Margarita Maultasch, yielding to the demands of Rudolf IV, abdicated the throne in his favor and transferred her Tyrolean county to him. The Bavarian Duke's attempts to prevent the establishment of Habsburg power in Tyrol failed: in the same year, Austrian troops repelled the Bavarian invasion, and in 1364 Bavaria renounced its claims to Margaret's inheritance, being satisfied with large monetary compensation. Tyrol was forever assigned to Austria.
Marriage
In 1356, Rudolf IV married Catherine of Luxembourg (1342-1395), daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor.
Rudolf IV had no children.
Death and burial 
Drawing of the cenotaph of Rudolf and Catherine and decoding of the epitaph
In July 1365, Rudolf IV, at the age of twenty-six, unexpectedly died of the plague in Milan, leaving no offspring. He was succeeded by his younger brothers Leopold III and Albrecht III.
Rudolf IV was initially buried in the Church of St. Giovanni in Concha, but then his ashes were transferred to St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna and placed in the Ducal Tomb, which Rudolf ordered to be built during his lifetime. Today, the crypt contains the remains of seventy-two representatives of the House of Habsburg.
Also, in accordance with Rudolph's order, a marble cenotaph was built in front of the cathedral altar in memory of him and his wife. Subsequently, this monument was moved to the northern aisle of the cathedral. The cenotaph is decorated with inscriptions encrypted in the “Chaldean alphabet” (Alphabetum Kaldeorum) - a cipher that Rudolf himself is suspected of inventing. The inscriptions read: “Here lies Rudolf, by the grace of God, Duke and Founder” and “God Almighty and our great Lord Jesus Christ, Shepherd.”
The cathedral has several chapels.
Chapel (from the Latin capella, a diminutive of the Latin sarra) is a type of Catholic church, a home church in castles and palaces for private services, or a separate chapel for prayers of a noble family. The word “chapel” was first used in relation to the chapel of the Frankish kings, in which the “cloak of St. Martina."
It is often translated into Russian by the word “chapel”, although this is somewhat incorrect, since the chapel does not have an altar and is not intended for performing liturgy, while a chapel is, as a rule, a full-fledged church with an altar.
Also called a chapel is a room in the side naves of a temple or apse (the crown of chapels is a row of chapels surrounding the apse). The latter were intended to store holy relics and relics.
Chapel of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine
It is located at the base of the south tower and is used as a baptistery. The 14-sided font was built in 1481.
For St. Catherine of Alexandria, see the page about frescoes in Assisi. 
Chapel of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara (architect G. Puchsbaum)
Located at the base of the north tower and used as a place for prayer retreat. Guidebooks suggest paying attention to the “hanging” keystones of the vaults. 
The Chapel of St. Eligius is located in the southeastern part of the cathedral. 
Eloi, or Eligius(588 - c.660), Bishop of Noyon, Saint.
Memory 1 December.
Born in 588, into a Gallo-Roman family in Chaptelat, in Limousin, in an era when the Gallo-Roman and barbarian worlds, often cruel, depraved and neglected, mixed. Young Elois, who developed a taste for working with metal, was apprenticed to a goldsmith and silversmith in Limoges. Having shown his talent there, he at the same time showed himself to be pious and greedy for learning.
We know from Saint Ouen, Bishop of Rouen and author of the life of Saint Eloi, that he made the shrines of Saint Lucien, Saint Maxien and Saint Julien in the 7th century.
A little time passed, and he went to Paris and entered the service of a famous gold and silversmith, who received orders from the royal palace. So he had the opportunity to be noticed by King Clothar II, when, without deception, he managed to make two thrones with the gold allotted for only one. The king, therefore, seduced by his scrupulous honesty and great piety, accepted him into his service. He turned out to be a very authoritative adviser and even became responsible for managing the royal finances. He was probably at the forefront of the creation of silver denier. After Clothar's death in 629, his son Dagobert II inherited the united country and became king of all the Franks.
Since 632, Dagobert II is the sole ruler of his kingdom. He knew that in order to maintain the unity of the country and effective governance, he must unite the aristocrats of the kingdom around him and initiate them into the art of governing. Before sending them to the provinces along with the bishop, he assigned them responsible positions at the palace. This was also the case in the case of his famous minister Elois, who served in the chancellery before becoming Bishop of Noyon.
In 641, Elois became Bishop of Noyon and Tournai, remaining the king's advisor. Following Saint Medard, he intended to strengthen the Church of Noyon. Despite this desire to make the Good News accessible to all, paganism remained tenacious. This was one of the main concerns of the church councils that took place in Gaul in the 6th century. Moreover, some members of the clergy succumbed to “blasphemous practices,” as St. Caesarius of Arles admitted. A century later, this would be confirmed by Eloy, Bishop of Noyon, recalling that “no Christian should place an amulet on the neck of a person or animal, even if it was made by a clergyman.”
With his missionaries he sets out to evangelize regions that have not yet been converted to Christianity, from Noyon to Ghent and Courtrai in Flanders. He founded the monastery of Solignac in the south of Limoges, populating it with monks from Luxeuil and entrusting its care to Saint Remacle, the future abbot of the monastery of Stavelot-Malmedy.
Then, together with Saint Ora (Aure), he founded a convent in Paris dedicated to the Apostle of Aquitaine, Saint Martial of Limoges. He also created numerous monasteries in Ghent, Peronne, Chauny, Ourscamp, Homblieres.
He was always surrounded by the poor, to whom he gave consolation. He ransomed slaves to free them and was a tireless preacher, always setting an example of holiness.
Glorified by all, Saint Elois died in Noyon in 659/660. He was buried near the church dedicated to Saint Louis of Troyes.
The following year, his body was transferred to the mausoleum behind the main altar of the monastery. Made in 1623 by René of The Hague, a gold and silversmith from Paris, the shrine of the Saint was placed in front of the main altar of the cathedral in Noyon.
On October 23, 1793, the treasure and all valuable objects of the cathedral were sent to Paris in order to be melted there. But the shrine itself remained above the altar until November. The description of the shrine dated November 6, 1793 was compiled during the movement of the treasure:
"Under the dome, oblong, having four sides with a pediment and supported by columns depicting St. Elois in front, St. Godeberthe in the back, St. Sebastian on one side, St. Toby on the other, surrounded by statues of twelve of the apostles. St. Eloi has four rings, St. Godebert has one. The above-mentioned shrine is three feet high, not including the lantern, three and a half feet long, and two and a half feet wide."
A real character, he eventually became a hero of legend and one of the most popular saints of Western Christianity, mainly in the Middle Ages. Even today he is highly revered in the north of France, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy. And at the present time he remains the patron of numerous corporations connected with metal work, as well as of gold and silversmiths or blacksmiths, who dedicated many churches to him.
According to legend, before becoming a gold and silversmith, he was a blacksmith. Once, in order to make it more convenient to shoe the hoof of an unruly horse, he tore off its leg, placed it on his anvil, and then put everything in order without complications. Every year in Flanders this event is celebrated with a large pilgrimage of horses.
Saint Eloi built the chapel or chapel of Rudoroire in the suburb of Soissons, which he replaced by 645 with a monastery dedicated to Saint Louis and which later became the monastery of Saint Eloi.
It was devastated in 860 by the Normans and was only partially restored by the 13th century. By 1207, the buildings had been restored and a magnificent church had been erected, which was said to even rival Beauvais Cathedral. The monastery was again devastated in 1472, this time by the Burgundians, who looted the archives and destroyed, among other things, deeds to the property.
One hundred and twenty years later it was destroyed again during the League. King Henry IV built a fortress on this site. Meanwhile, the Benedictines received permission from Louis XIII to settle in the area where the monastery and some of its possessions were located. They restored the modest monastery and church, wanting to recreate the magnificent abbey that had existed before. In 1789 there were approximately twenty Benedictines remaining in the monastery.
The Chapel of St. Bartholomew the Apostle is located above the Chapel of St. Eligius.
Chapel of the Holy Cross
It is located in the north-eastern part of the cathedral and serves as the tomb of Prince Eugene of Savoy.
About Prince Eugene of Savoy. 
The famous commander Prince Eugene of Savoy became a legend during his lifetime. He was carried out on his last journey with all honors, the expenses were paid by Kaiser Charles VI, who then decided that he had fulfilled his mission and that the heirs should take care of the tombstone. Eugene Savoysky died a wealthy man, leaving his great-niece Anna Victoria more than a million guilders. The heiress, however, did not feel any desire to fulfill her family duty. She hurried to sell off the palaces, the unique library and the collection of art treasures that she had inherited, completely forgetting about her benefactor. Only 18 years after the prince’s death, his nephew’s wife took up the construction of the monument... A large crucifix hangs above the altar of the chapel where the prince is buried. What is notable about the depiction of Christ is his beard of real hair, which, according to legend, grows and is trimmed every year on Good Friday... 
Chapel of St. Valentine
Located above the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
In the reliquary of St. Valentine, dated 1440, the main relics of the temple were kept until 1933. In 1933, some of them were moved to the museum at the cathedral. Now the chapel contains the relics of St. Valentine, the skulls of Saints Cosmas and Damian, and a piece of the tablecloth of the Last Supper.
Tombs
Buried in the cathedral itself are:
Rudolf IV (prince - builder of the cathedral, died in 1365). The tombstone in the main hall is symbolic; the body was buried in the underground “ducal crypt” founded by Rudolf himself.
Frederick III (died 1493), tombstone by Nikolaus Gerhardt.
Eugene Savoysky (died 1736).
72 members of the Habsburg dynasty ("ducal crypt"). Most of these “graves” are symbolic: since 1633, the hearts (symbols) of monarchs were buried in the cathedral, and the bodies themselves were buried in the Capuchin Church.
abbots of the cathedral.
Catacombs
Under the eastern half of the cathedral and under the houses adjacent to the east there are catacombs - an underground cemetery. In 1732, Emperor Charles VI banned burials in old cemeteries inside the city walls, so in the 18th century the dead were buried underground. Before the complete ban on underground graves, issued by Joseph II in 1783, under the Cathedral of St. Stephen, up to 11 thousand bodies were buried. “Catacombs”, in the Greek manner, these dungeons began to be called only in the 19th century. The highest hierarchs of the Austrian Church are still buried in the underground episcopal crypt (the last burial was in 2004).
You can take a look back in time by taking the metro to Stephansplatz. During the construction work, the Virgilkapelle chapel, dating back to the 13th century, was opened. It was once located in the dungeon of the cemetery church of Mary Magdalene, which was demolished in 1871.
Back in the 12th century, construction began on St. Stephen's Cathedral, the current symbol of Vienna and all of Austria. In its architectural appearance it is easy to recognize the distinctive features of different styles of architecture, Romanesque and Gothic. The eastern end of the temple is an example of Gothic style with oblong narrow window openings and high projections of buttresses. The dark, sharp roof of the apse turns into a gable temple, where tiled coat of arms eagles flaunt.
The unfinished north tower is surrounded by forests of restorers who continue to recreate the ancient structure. The legend about the death of the main builder due to a violation of the contract with the devil is naive; most likely there were not enough funds. The tower turned into a bell tower, ending with a Baroque dome. The largest bell in Western Europe is located here, weighing more than 20 tons. A new Pummerin was cast in the 1950s from the metal of a 1711 product that burst in a fire.
The southern tower, named after the patron saint of the temple, is elevated above the city blocks to its entire 135 meters or more. For a long time in Vienna it was forbidden to build taller towers, superior to the tower of the patron of the city. It took many generations to build St. Stephen's Cathedral; construction continued until the 15th century. Hence the stylistic diversity, with a predominance of signs of a later direction.
St. Stephen's Cathedral is also visible from Graben Street, which was organized for the sake of passage on the site of the former square. Now they have decided to turn the wide street into a pedestrian area again, for the sake of convenient sightseeing for numerous tourists. It flaunts on the Graben, on one side of it, on the other. From here you can reach the Church of Peter and Paul with two bell towers.
St. Stephen's Cathedral from outside
The western façade of St. Stephen's Cathedral faces the square of the same name, which is also prohibited for vehicles. This is the oldest part of the building after the first temple, consecrated in 1147, including the Gigantic Gate and the Pagan Towers of the Romanesque style, later affected by the Gothic style. The pointed roof of the main volume of the temple attracts attention; it was not easy to build such a structure.
They decided to sharpen the roof to an angle of 80 degrees to reduce the impact of precipitation on the tiles. Drops only touch the surface and bounce down; moisture does not linger on the tiles. The roof painted with original ornaments is surprising for a religious building; I have never seen such a covering of a temple. The side walls are picturesquely decorated with arched openings of different sizes and sharp ends.
On the side of the western facade there are buttresses, just like those seen in front of the eastern one. Sculptural decorations with religious themes are placed wherever possible. The light openings are arranged in different shapes, some are covered with openwork grilles. The largest opening is located above the temple entrance; the gate was preserved for quite a long period of time.
To organize the construction of such a large-scale sanctuary, the participation of many influential people was required. The first in this series is usually called the Margrave of Austria Leopold the Fourth, a figure of the 1140s. The Romanesque part was built under Duke Frederick the Second (not to be confused with Frederick the Second the Great, the Prussian king). Gothic naves and high-rise towers were completed under the rule of the Habsburgs.
The gigantic gates are horn-shaped, arch-shaped, decorated with sculptures in wall niches, dating back to 1240. Inside the extended vestibule, the arches are reduced in size, forming a horn open to the outside. Above the entrance doors, stucco reliefs depicting biblical scenes are entrusted to greet parishioners and visitors. The popularity enjoyed by St Stephen's Cathedral is demonstrated by the crowd around the entrance.
On the sides of the central light opening there are small round ones; we decided to use one to place a clock. Above is a figured frieze of repeating stucco elements. The people in red robes among other citizens, one of whom forgot to take off his wig, are most likely musicians. Apparently, an organ concert has taken place or is being prepared; an album of Mozart's notes pressed to the body is evidence of this.
Internal structure and decoration of the temple
Construction of the main building, for which St. Stephen's Cathedral is famous, began under Rudolf the Fourth. This happened in the early 1250s, and in 1278 Austria came under the rule of the Habsburg dynasty. You need to see the majesty of the Gothic naves in person to appreciate their beauty. Rows of elongated arches divide the room into three parts, where altars and benches for parishioners are located.
All elements of the interior design are designed to emphasize the skyward design, in which St. Stephen's Cathedral is unified inside and out. The silhouettes of the arches of the dividing partitions are repeated in the structure of the vaults, as if reflected by giant mirrors. Converging convex ribs give an openwork appearance to the ceiling; the effect is enhanced by lattice window sashes with colored stained glass.
In order to have room for spectators who wanted to listen to the organ, the space in front of the altar was filled with chairs. The attractiveness of brass music can be ensured by the excellent acoustics that characterize St. Stephen's Cathedral. The impressions from musical events complement the traditional Christian values with which the ancient temple is rich. This includes all interior decoration.
In religious design, St. Stephen's Cathedral stands out for its extensive use of pictorial images. There are even more sculptures here, but not as many as in other Catholic churches, where they predominate. The episcopal cathedra, a true masterpiece of stone sculpture, deserves a separate story. The icons, accompanied by statues, are framed by marble columns of the side altars, which is very impressive.
St. Stephen's Cathedral was not immediately declared a cathedral, due to the opposition of the ancient religious center of Passau. The famous sculptor of Czech origin Anton Pilgram, who had previously made the organ balcony, was invited to create the pulpit. The uniqueness of the product is that it is made of a monolithic block of marble. The master was literally able to fulfill the behest of the great Michelangelo - to cut off everything unnecessary.
The complex ornament of the pulpit frame contains sculptural portraits of teachers of the temple school, later recognized as the fathers of the church. The master was able not only to make portraits, he managed to put two more meanings into them. The portraits reflected the four ages of people and the four main types of human characters. Pilgram did not survive his work for long; he soon died.
About the structure of the temple
Traditionally, in Catholic churches it is customary to especially carefully decorate the main altar space. St. Stephen's Cathedral was no exception, where the suffering of the patron saint of the temple is depicted on the largest altarpiece icon of the main altar. The picturesque image is complemented by skillful statues, and the colored stained glass windows of the apse windows play a significant role. Some of them have survived since their creation, most are new.
It has long been customary among Catholics to provide parishioners with seating; in a cathedral it is even more impossible to do without it. The benches here are of good quality; you can sit or kneel on a special shelf. The excursion group marching from the main altar past the pulpit is apparently heading towards the descent into the catacombs. The underground tomb of abbots and more distinguished persons is also a local attraction.
The next photograph is intended to enlighten the reader of the review in the structure and terms relating to the internal space of the cathedral. It is divided into three naves, the southern one, where a group of tourists moves, is dedicated to the apostles, and is called that. In its eastern part is the sarcophagus of Frederick the Third. The central nave is dedicated to Christ and St. Stephen, and has no special name. The one farthest from us, the northern one, is dedicated to the Mother of God and the Holy Martyr Catherine, they call it female.
In addition to the main hall of three naves, St. Stephen's Cathedral is equipped with six separate chapels. The main volume contains about twenty small altars dedicated to the most revered saints and biblical events. The thrones were decorated in a common style; the differences can only be discerned upon careful examination. Columns made of colored marble support portals richly decorated with sculptures.
The second most important altar and miraculous icon
One of the main treasures of the temple is considered to be the Wiener-Neustadt altar, located at the end of the women's nave. Frederick the Third ordered its execution; the altar dates back to 1447. St. Stephen's Cathedral received the relic in 1884, before which it was in the monastery of the city after which it was named. The monastery belonged to the Cistercian order, a more strict analogue of the Benedictine.
The Cistercians did not allow persons other than Christ and the Virgin Mary to be depicted in prominent places. Therefore, images of 72 saints are on the reverse side of the altar doors, and scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary are visible. The doors are closed only during Holy Week and on some other holidays. Many parishioners want to venerate the Mother of God; there are separate benches in front of the folding altar.
The miraculous icon of the Mother of God from the Hungarian village of Pecs is placed in the southwestern part of the cathedral, near the entrance. A certain Laszlo Shigri ordered it for the church there in memory of the liberation from Turkish captivity. 20 years later, in 1696, the image became famous as healing. Emperor Leopold the First moved the relic to Vienna, leaving the village with a copy, which also turned out to be miraculous. Even the settlement in honor of the image became Mariapech.
The miraculous image is located on a low podium, behind a low fence made of posts and an openwork lattice. The shelter is arranged in an interesting and picturesque manner in the form of a canopy on two twisted columns. In front of the altar of the icon there are benches for admirers, and there is also a box for donations. But miracles of healing are not for a fee; those healed sincerely thank the Mother of God. It is impossible and unnecessary to prohibit gifts; they come from the heart.
Sick Christ, organ pedestal and its author
On the wall of the lower tier of the northern tower, near the descent into the catacombs, there is an unusual image on the wall. The bust of Jesus, depicted from the waist up, naked and with his arms crossed on his stomach, is not similar to other faces. Due to the face distorted by a grimace of pain, it received several names associated with toothache. However, the position of the hands can be interpreted as a sign of stomach pain or other ailment.
It is wrong to define a disease by a symbolic image, and Christ does not need a diagnosis. Taking a frivolous approach to the sacred image, one can mistake the pedestal for a font due to its unusual shape. Then what, does it turn out to be Christ in the bathhouse? Finding no explanation in the available sources, we leave the idea of the unknown sculptor without comment.
An organ balcony is sometimes called a pedestal, but the difference is insignificant, and the beauty of the work is obvious. The construction of the pedestal began around the same time as the episcopal see. It was here, according to descriptions, that the first organ of 1516, long lost, was located. The guidebooks contain outdated information that the pedestal was left empty, but in reality we see something else.
The authorship of the pedestal is considered to be established precisely; the work was entrusted to the same Czech Anton Pilgram as the department. At the same time, doubts arise about the department; many sources refute Pilgram’s authorship, and with reason. Under the stairs to the pulpit we found a portrait of a sculptor with the appropriate tools in his hands. There is no resemblance to the previously known portrait of the Czech sculptor.
The previously unnoticed portrait is now considered to be an image of Gerhardt, the author of the sarcophagus of Frederick the Third. Increasingly, it is he who is called the author of the department, although this cannot be categorically stated. Anton Pilgram clearly signed the pedestal; his self-portrait is placed in a prominent place. The sculptor depicted himself symbolically, as a load-bearing element of the structures.
Now a version has emerged that in this way the sculptor expressed his overload with orders, indirectly refuting the authorship of the department. The interpretation of the three letters on the ribbon under the portrait as Master Pilgram can also be questioned. However, it is impossible to link Nikolaus Gerhardt here, and the portrait under the stairs is not signed in any way.
Examples of small altars
Several small altars, which abound in St. Stephen's Cathedral, have already come into view during the inspection. To provide the reader with more complete information, we offer a selection of photographs of these elegant buildings. We consider it unnecessary to list everyone depicted in paintings and sculptures. Many people know them better than the observer, and those who are going to Vienna will see them with their own eyes.
If you carefully examine the small altars of the cathedral, you can discover all genres of fine art and their forms. There are three-dimensional sculptures, and bas-reliefs and high reliefs tied to a plane. Presented are stone and wood carvings, plastic modeling and their combinations. Picturesque canvases coexist with wall paintings and frescoes, complemented by painted figurines.
Again - St. Stephen's Cathedral from the street
It was necessary to organize a pedestrian zone in the area of the square near the cathedral and on Graben Street. It turned out to be impossible to combine the increasing flow of tourists and car traffic in cramped conditions. Therefore, the external cathedral pulpit of John Capistran, from where the saint called for the Crusades against heretics and Ottomans, became the backdrop for the parking of horse-drawn carriages waiting for clients.
The attractiveness and exoticism of a trip on an old stagecoach are obvious, but the sense of smell protests against the aromas of horse activity. While both the authorities and people walking around put up with this, exoticism still holds back progressive innovations. The obvious solution would be electric-powered carts, with no noise or smell at all. Surely this replacement will happen later or sooner.
The smaller St. Stephen's Cathedral appears to visitors as a real temple near its ancient walls. Yesenin’s formula – big things can be seen from a distance – is correct, but it doesn’t work here due to the cramped surrounding buildings. Tourists cannot take a look at the entire cathedral, and the model helps to navigate its complex structure. The copy is made filigree, with all the elements and details.
Using a smaller copy, tourists can determine which parts of the cathedral they will pass through once inside. Photography enthusiasts, of whom there are many among visitors, can find a vantage point for outdoor photography. The photo against the background of the model itself will also be original, although this seduces few. The vast majority turn their attention to the outer walls, which are replete with a variety of exhibits.
Sick Christ and stone carving
One of the most attractive is the statue of the sick Christ, replicating the one located inside the temple. It is installed on a thin column in a shallow niche under a canopy, fenced off with railings. The motive for such duplication is unclear, but from the outside the sculpture looks even more expressive due to its more varied surroundings. On the wall there are picturesque paintings of biblical scenes and a number of other exhibits.
At the right wall of the niche there is a small analogue of the classical portico consisting of a pair of columns with volutes in the capitals, a transverse beam and a triangular pediment. This is only a background for framing a carving of religious content, which looks very ancient. The corner shelf in the opposite part of the wall recess is also curious, where it is difficult to determine whether the figures are carved or sculpted. Two memorial plaques require a closer look.
It was decided to present a few more examples of ancient stone-cutting skills with a selection of photographs. They differ both in execution time and in the compositional and visual techniques used. The craftsmen used different carving techniques, the depth of stone processing and the degree of polishing of the images varied. Experts will find the difference instantly, amateurs need to take a closer look.
The scenes illustrated by ancient carvers do not differ in variety; they are all based on subjects from biblical descriptions. The images are both single and from several independent bas-reliefs of different shapes and sizes. The richness of the paintings with characters varies; as publications progress, there are more of them. On the last stone canvas, the image is very rich in persons, objects and actions.
Leaving St. Stephen's Cathedral
The majority of visitors are in no hurry to leave St. Stephen's Cathedral, peering at the details of the ancient temple. Many people take the time to walk around the structure, fortunately there is no one on the square except pedestrians and rarely passing horse-drawn carriages. They consider both large architectural forms of various styles and smaller elements, down to individual details.
Many memorial plaques with memorial texts do not indicate burial places. Prominent personalities were buried in a dungeon under the altar space, that is, in the crypt.
The deeper catacombs contain more than 10 thousand burials of Viennese citizens of all classes, positions and occupations. They enter the dungeon near the northern wall of the temple; you can exit there or immediately outside.
Those who visit St. Stephen's Cathedral receive an indelible and varied impression. Religious reverence for shrines is characteristic and not accessible to everyone. But the educational and artistic heritage impresses everyone. The national Austrian symbol is worth visiting for everyone who finds themselves in hospitable Vienna.
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the main landmark of Vienna, the national symbol of Austria and the city of Vienna, a national treasure and one of the most famous monuments of medieval European architecture, and it is not possible to ignore it if you come to the city even for one day. Romanesque “Giant Gates”, Gothic decoration, decorative details of the Renaissance and Baroque era - the thousand-year history of art in Central Europe is embodied in the decoration of the temple.
Getting there is very easy - on all Vienna metro maps the cathedral is marked with a picture of its characteristic silhouette. The cathedral is located on St. Stephen's Square, and the metro station is called Stephansplatz, from the metro you will go straight to the cathedral, you don't need to go anywhere else.
How much does it cost to visit St. Stephen's Cathedral
You can enter the cathedral for free, you won’t be allowed to go far or you will have to pretend to be a believer, believers can do it for free, tourists can pay for it, just like in .
A full ticket, which includes a climb to both towers, an audio guide in Russian around the cathedral itself, and a tour of the cathedral catacombs in German and English costs:
We got tickets on a special offer, probably during the low tourist season, which is when discounts apply.
Tickets can be purchased at the foot of the south tower. In addition, you can buy separate tickets only to where you want to go; for each of the listed options, an adult ticket costs 5 euros.
Entrance to the stairs of the South Tower, tickets are also sold there
South Tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral
We took full tickets and started from the South Tower of the cathedral. This is the highest tower of the cathedral and you will have to climb it on foot. There is one platform for relaxation there, but it is quite high. The staircase is very narrow and there is movement up and down, making it quite difficult to pass.
On the very top platform there is a souvenir shop, there is heating, you will have to take pictures through the glass.
View of Vienna from the South Tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral After descending, we went to inspect the cathedral, but it turned out that there would be a service in the cathedral until 13:00 and all tourists were asked to wait. It should be noted that there were many believers, almost a whole cathedral, and some of them sang very well, I did not expect to see such religious zeal, in the summer in Turku we saw a service, there were no more than 10 believers.
During the service, the cathedral was fully illuminated, it remained on for only 10 minutes after it ended, then the lights were turned off and tourists examined the treasures of the cathedral in the twilight - German economy in action, provided that we paid for the tickets.
External walls
The area around St. Stephen's Cathedral is not at all large and it is not possible to photograph it entirely. So we took a few photos from a distance.
The gigantic portal of St. Stephen's Cathedral, which preserved the Romanesque walls built in 1230-1245 The oldest walls have been preserved in the western facade; there is a dragon bone built in above the entrance, as was previously thought, but now scientists have established that it is a mammoth bone, which is why the western facade received the name Gigantic portal. Located nearby Pagan towers, so named because in their construction they used material from former cult ancient Roman buildings.
There is a parking lot for tourist cabs near the walls of St. Stephen's Cathedral. A ride in a cab costs only 55 euros, which is terrible if you convert it into rubles at the current exchange rate. All the horses are bundled up from the rain in Gore-Tex, and there is a characteristic manure smell next to the cabs. In winter, a rather dubious pleasure, riding in a fiacre, the window there is small, it rains and it’s all in drops, so you won’t be able to see Vienna from the fiacre.
Fiacres at the walls of St. Stephen's Cathedral Recently, due to the crisis in Ukraine, the Chair of St. John of Capistrana has gained popularity on the Internet. Saint John of Capistrana became famous for calling for war with the infidels, but for some reason, under his feet, the sculptor depicted one of the heroes of the film “Taras Bulba”, it turns out that he considered the Ukrainians to be infidels or are they still Turks? I made inquiries, the Turks did not wear hairstyles like Oseledets, which means he is a Zaporozhye Cossack. Obviously in those days, Turks and Cossacks were equally infidels for the inhabitants of Vienna.
Chair of St. John of Capistrana From the rear façade of the cathedral there is a figure of Christ, nicknamed “The Lord Suffering from Toothache.” There is a legend about young men who laughed at the statue. They were struck by a terrible toothache, the poor fellows could not do anything, and relief came only after a prayer of repentance.
Crucifix “with toothache”, so called because of the expression on the face of the Savior Bronze copy of the cathedral, 100 times smaller than the original. The explanatory note on it is written in Braille. There is one of the Christmas markets around the cathedral.
Model of St. Stephen's Cathedral North tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral
Initially they wanted to build two identical towers, but as often happens, it didn’t work out and now the northern tower is significantly lower than the southern one, but inside it there is an elevator with a lift operator, and an open observation deck is organized at the top. It’s worth going up there to get a better look at the cathedral’s magnificent roof made of colored majolica tiles.
North tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna 
Roof of St. Stephen's Cathedral Inside St Stephen's Cathedral
Vienna survived two Turkish sieges. The first was a three-week period in 1528. In 1683, the siege lasted for 3 months. The Turks, standing on the territory of the current Spitelberg quarter, fired more than 1000 cannonballs into Vienna. One of them got stuck in the wall of the South Tower. On it, the townspeople carved the face of the Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa (the core can only be seen through binoculars).
Model of the altar in honor of the lifting of the Turkish siege In the premises of the cathedral, in memory of the Turkish sieges, a large-scale altar was installed, which was destroyed in a fire in 1945. The cathedral survived the bombing of the last war and the operation to capture Vienna, but was severely damaged by a fire that spread to it from a market plundered by looters. The cathedral burned for three days, the vault of the cathedral collapsed, the giant Pummerin bell fell from its suspension and destroyed the North Tower when it fell. Restoration work is ongoing to this day; many relics have survived, because were protected by protective sarcophagi.
Surviving figures of the altar in honor of the lifting of the Turkish siege Below is a photo of the 14-sided baptismal font in St. Catherine's Chapel (1481). decorated with reliefs of the main characters of the Gospel.
St Catherine's Chapel in the South Tower 
Altar of St. Catherine in the south tower According to legend, the servant of one countess, accused of theft, begged Madonna for support in front of this sculpture. The real robber was caught, and the countess pardoned the maid. According to another version, the sculpture adorned the women's choir, where the earliest services were held, attended only by servants who got up much earlier than their masters.
Statue of Madonna - protector of servants Emperor Frederick III ordered the sarcophagus in his youth. The pedestal of the massive stone tomb is decorated with fabulous and terrible animals, and there are also bones and skulls - symbols of the emperor’s sins. The reliefs on the walls of the coffin symbolize his good endeavors. In the upper part, numerous church ministers from the monasteries founded by the crown bearer pray for the salvation of Frederick’s immortal soul. They say that whoever looks at the lid of the sarcophagus will protect himself from sudden death for a whole year, but this can only be done by using a stepladder, since the sarcophagus is too high.
Sarcophagus of Frederick III in the Apostolic Nave The most basic altar of dark marble was made already in the Baroque era and is one of the first altars in Vienna made in this then new style.
High altar of St. Stephen's Cathedral (1640-1660) The Wiener Neustadt Altarpiece is decorated with expressive painted wooden reliefs (72 saints and scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary), framed by Gothic ornaments. It was created at the direction of Emperor Frederick III and was kept for a long time in the monastery of Wiener Neustadt.
Wiener Neustadt Altar The Gothic cathedra of the bishop is full of symbolism, no matter what associations the sculptor turns to, but residents of the 21st century cannot understand the deep intention of the author without proper explanations. In many details of the department there is a contrast between the heavenly number 3 (Holy Trinity) and the earthly number 4, which reminds us of our mortal life, for example, we have 4 seasons, 4 main temperaments can be distinguished among people, etc.
Episcopal see 1480 Excursion to the Catacombs of St. Stephen's Cathedral
The tour begins in the North Tower of the cathedral; entry to the catacombs is only possible with a guide. He speaks first in German, then repeats in English, clearly separating the words and not quickly, i.e. With an average command of the language it is quite possible to understand. You can't take photos there.
The catacombs themselves are divided into several rooms. The first rooms look completely civilized. The Viennese bishops are buried there, there are fresh flowers near the sarcophagus of the last bishop, candles are burning, i.e. the grateful parishioners have not yet forgotten him. Then we went into the room where Duke Rudolf VI is buried, and nearby on shelves in saucepans are the internal organs of the Habsburgs. Phew, what else can be said about this.
Then the very dark dungeons began, which used to be part of the cemetery located around the cathedral, many bones and skulls. In total, about 11,000 people are buried in the catacombs, including those who died during the plague epidemic.
Many tombstones are now mounted in the outer walls of the cathedral.
Tombstones on the external walls of St. Stephen's Cathedral For those who want to see the catacombs, but do not want to pay for it, we can advise visiting the Chapel of St. Virgil below at the entrance to the metro station. Its construction dates back to 1230 and over many centuries it turned out to be 12 m below the modern level of the area.
Chapel of St. Virgil in the metro While visiting the cathedral, we received incomparable impressions, immersed ourselves in history, learned a lot of new things, enjoyed the magnificent panorama of Vienna from the towers of the Cathedral, and experienced the horror of the dungeons. We recommend everyone to have a detailed tour of the cathedral, it’s worth it.
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