St. Stephen Cathedral is called the Austrian national sanctuary. Its origins date back to 1137. It measures over 100 meters, and its highest tower is 136. The building is one of the most important gothic buildings in Austria and the largest temples in Europe.
It has numerous elements of Gothic and Baroque architecture, including the Gothic altar from Wiener Neustadt, the monumental tomb of Frederick III and the Baroque main altar with a picture depicting the martyrdom of Saint Stephen.
For over 800 years, the building survived the conflagration, the siege of the Turks and the war with the French. However, in 1945, the fire of the buildings opposite the church spread and caused terrible damage. Only thanks to donations from abroad, the union of Austrian industrialists, and above all the support of the faithful managed to rebuild it.
The patron of the cathedral is St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
