Roof Tiles of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna

230,000 colourful glazed tiles transform the roof of the Stephandom into a true work of art. St Stephen’s Cathedral is the most impressive and gigantic scared destination in Vienna. I found it difficult to capture the whole structure in a single frame was difficult.

From a distance the cathedral looked grey, but there was something unreal about it. As I approached closer I found the cathedral wrapped up to a considerable height. It was under repairs.

Portions of facade were covered with screens which were painted with designs hidden by the screens.

South Tower of St Stephen’s Cathedral

At 136.4 m tall, the South Tower known as Steffl of St.Stephen’s Cathedral of Vienna, is the cathedral’s highest tower. The high tower’s Türmerstube, its steeple room, at a height of 67 metres is also the highest vantage point that can be climbed at the cathedral.

Craning our necks we kept staring, the awe of seeing these majestic spires didn’t seem to diminish even after seeing so many cathedrals during our 10 days of tour.

The entrance to the South Tower can be accessed from Stephansplatz. It is slightly hidden behind the tower opposite the ‘Curhaus’ (Haus Stephansplatz 3).

St Stephen Cathedral complete picture Vienna

St Stephen Cathedral complete picture Vienna

Roof Tiles of St Stephen’s Cathedral

The roof of St Stephens Cathedral is famous for colored tiles fixed in various designs were not covered (thankfully!). Statistics is:

  • 230,000 tiles
  • weight of each tile is 2.5 kg
  • 2 copper nails and mortar fix them in their place
  • 10 colors of tiles
  • coat of arms patterned with tiles
  • double-headed eagle

Apparently the roof is at a certain angle so that rain is enough to clean the tiles and keep them colorful. The slope is made steep, at an angle of 80 degrees, such that it is hardly covered by snow.

Roof tiles Stephen's Cathedral Vienna

Roof tile patterns on Cathedral

Roof of Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna with colorful tiles and small windows

South edge of the roof has this double headed eagle. It is the symbol of the Austrian empire under the rule of the Habsburgs. The two headed eagle is the emblem for Holy Roman Empire and Austrian-Hungarian Empire to show the connection between the emperor and the country being ruled.

Go around to see 2 other eagles, both with single head carrying the coats of arms of the City of Vienna and of the Republic of Austria.

Roof tiles Stephen's Cathedral Vienna

St Stephen’s Cathedral Tiles Vienna – double headed Eagle symbol

It is a beautiful sight during the day; the colors kind of make it so bright and stunning under the blue sky. The tiles in zig zag patterns are purely for decorative purpose. There is no symbolism attached to them.

Facade of St Stephen’s Cathedral

The exterior has a dull grey color and is a mix of influence of Romanesque and Gothic architecture as the construction spanned for several centuries. Countless solemn faces and gargoyles peer out from the stone walls.

Facade of St Stephen's Cathedral indranipics

Facade of St Stephen's Cathedral

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Roof Tiles of St. Stephen's Cathedral Vienna Austria

(This post was first published on Sep 22, 2011.)

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