When visiting Stephansdom, Make Sure You Visit the Catacombs

Looking for a unique experience? How about visiting the Stephansdom Catacombs?

The Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral) is Vienna’s most famous landmark. With its history dating back to the 12th century, the cathedral tells stories of medieval Vienna, the people that once roamed the streets and the ones that were laid to rest in the catacombs of the Stephansdom. In this short post entry, we will tell you why you should consider visiting the Stephansdom Catacombs.

From 1255 till 1732 a cemetery surrounded the Stephansdom. From the year 1718 on, a crypt was built beneath the upper vestry. Due to the closing of the cemetery more crypts were built so that they could be used as ossuaries. Between 1745 and 1783 more than 10.000 people were buried in the crypts beneath the cathedral. If a room was filled to the brim, it simply got walled up. As you can probably imagine the cathedral had to be closed every now and then, whenever the cadaverous odor got too much to handle.

Today you can visit the catacombs (no worries, you won’t have to deal with the smell) as part of an official tour. If you want to learn more about the history of the cathedral, make sure to check out our private tours. Click here for more information.