Stephansplatz (St. Stephen's Square), Vienna

St. Stephen's Square鈥擵ienna鈥檚 beating heart鈥攊s the kind of square that doesn鈥檛 just mark the center of the city, but commands it with flair.

Named after the towering St. Stephen鈥檚 Cathedral, a Gothic powerhouse of stone and spire, this cathedral is not merely Vienna鈥檚 main church鈥攊t鈥檚 one of the tallest in the world. Basically, if you're anywhere nearby and don鈥檛 see it, check your glasses...

Back in the day鈥攂efore the 20th century, that is鈥攖his square and the nearby Stock-im-Eisen-Platz were awkward neighbors separated by a row of buildings. Those were eventually knocked down, and voil脿, a grand unification. Now, St. Stephen's Square graciously includes the whole area, like a generous host absorbing the entire block party.

To the west and south, the scene gets posh with Graben Street (which literally translates as "the Ditch," though it鈥檚 far more champagne than shovel these days) and Carinthian Street, named so after the Carinthia region of Austria, but now better known for shopping that could make your wallet nervous.

And then there鈥檚 Haas Haus, lounging across from St. Stephen鈥檚 Cathedral like the cool, modern cousin at a family reunion. Designed by Hans Hollein and made of glass, steel, and unapologetic modernism, it was once the source of much civic side-eye. Now it鈥檚 celebrated as the poster child for architectural harmony: medieval meets mirror-polished millennium.

While this square may not be the best location for fine dining鈥攗nless your idea of haute cuisine is a schnitzel sandwich鈥攕itting in one of the local caf茅s provides you with the front row for the city鈥檚 greatest spectacle: the people of Vienna. Locals, tourists, street performers, and the occasional opera enthusiast all sweep through under the cathedral鈥檚 watchful gaze.

So pull up a chair, order something strong, and take it all in鈥攂ecause this is more than just a square. It鈥檚 Vienna condensed...

Tip:
Stroll around the cathedral鈥檚 side and you鈥檒l find its miniature version. It鈥檚 like someone said, 鈥淟et鈥檚 make it travel-sized,鈥� and it鈥檚 oddly satisfying. Great for photos, or just for pretending you鈥檙e a giant for a moment.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Stephansplatz (St. Stephen's Square)
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Vienna Old Town Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria

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Vienna's Historical Music Venues

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles

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Klimt's name is indelibly linked to Vienna. The renowned symbolist painter was a prominent figure in the city. As a... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles

Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour I

Vienna鈥檚 flirtation with Art Nouveau鈥攌nown locally as Jugendstil鈥攗nfolded in the late 19th, early 20th centuries. The so-called Vienna Secession movement, which emerged in 1897, was led by a group of rebellious artists and architects like Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt, and Koloman Moser, who turned their backs on historicism in favor of bold, modern aesthetics. As the new language for buildings,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

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