Stephansdom, the spectacular cathedral dedicated to St. Stephen that stands in the heart of Vienna, is the city's most important religious building. The very tall Gothic spire of the tower positioned on the right of the cathedral, popularly known as "Stefanino," is a key landmark for every tourist.
The cathedral stands on Stephansplatz, a busy, lively square with a predominantly modern character, as several buildings are quite recent. The whole area was heavily bombed during World War II, and the cathedral itself was devastated by a fire that destroyed its distinctive sloping roof.
Rising up not far from the old façade of the cathedral is the large, ultra-modern Haas-Haus, erected in 1990 by Austrian architect Hans Hollein, covered in mirrored glass, which houses a number of stores and restaurants. The construction did not meet with everyone’s approval, and was the subject of heated controversy and even repeated calls for its demolition. Nevertheless, it has now become an integral part of Vienna's image, and its direct relationship with the Gothic cathedral is symbolic of the ongoing dialog in the Austrian capital between the ancient and the modern.
Another example of juxtaposition of elements from very different eras can be observed in the Stephansplatz subway station. About twelve meters below ground, you can see the striking remains of the Chapel of St. Vigilius, a Romanesque building from the 13th century that was buried in the late 18th century and rediscovered in 1973 during work on the subway.
An interesting fact: Looking at this bustling square today, it’s hard to guess what stood here until the first half of the eighteenth century...until 1732, it was actually home to a cemetery! Burials were later moved to catacombs below the square, until 1783, when it became mandatory to bury the dead outside the city.
