01-Tram from my hotel stopped at this grand median on Schwarzenberg strasse where it intersects the Ring Road that surrounds the central core. We're looking north across the ring road. (Strasse means road)
02-I'm about to wend my way through streets and lanes to the great Stephansdom (St. Stephan's Cathedral). Schwarzenberg crosses the ring road and passes an interesting tower at Hegel gasse. (Gasse means lane.)
03-Schubert Ring. The ring road is almost an octagon: It has six sides and 10 different names.
04-Here you see how the ring road bends around the core (which is to the right). The car and tram are leaving Schubert Ring and entering Karntner Ring.
05-I spotted the Ringstrassen Galerien (Ring Road Gallery) at the far end of this long block.
06-Ringstrassen Galerien. Didn't go there, but it was worth a photo.
07-Approaching the St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) via Lilliengasse. Note the Eden Bar.
08-Stephansdom south tower (445 feet high, completed 1443) seen from Lilliengasse. The Cathedral was first completed in 1160, but burned several times and was rebuilt, including after WW II.
09-Stephansdom roof from Lilliengasse. The ornately patterned roof is 361 ft long, and is covered by 230,000 richly colored glazed tiles.
11-A side street on the way to the main entry on the Northeast facade.
14-Another side view: St. Peters Church at the end of Goldschmied gasse (Goldsmith Lane).
15-Inside the cathedral
16-Stairs to the Pulpit
17-Nave (center aisle). On the left behind the railing is the stone pulpit—a masterwork of late gothic sculpture. So that the local language sermon could be better heard by worshipers in the days before microphones, the pulpit stands against a pillar out in the nave, instead of in the chancel at the front of the church.
18-Right aisle. In April 1945, nearby fires started by civilian plunderers were carried by wind to the cathedral, severely damaging the roof and causing it to collapse. Protective brick shells built around the pulpit and other treasures minimized damage. Rebuilding began immediately, with a full reopening in April 1952.
19-Stained glass window
21-Left aisle and Wiener Neustädter Altar
22-Wiener Neustädter Altar
24-Wiener Neustädter Altar.
25-Cathedral ceiling
27-Looking down on Stephans Platz from the North Tower. The tower (1511-1578) is 223 ft high, roughly half the height of the older, and more complete, south tower.
28-Looking northwest from the North Tower. VotivKirche towers on the left; Ringturm (Ring Tower) on the right.
29-Votivkirche, 1 mile northwest, at 10:22 AM. (Check the clocks on the towers)
30-Looking down along the northeast facade
32-Carriages and drivers waiting in Stephans Platz
33-Roof tile and finial detail atop the northeast facade
34-Finial. (An ornament at the top. From Old French 'fin' or Latin finis ‘end.’)
35-On the north side of the tiled roof are the coats of arms of the City of Vienna and of the Republic of Austria. The retiling of the burned and reconstructed roof was completed in 1950.
36-Tiles replaced 1950
37-Spire of South Tower, seen from North Tower
38-Looking northeast at the Ferris Wheel on the horizon and near the center.
39-Riesenrad, 2 kilometers to the northeast of Stephansdom, was one of the earliest Ferris wheels. It was erected in 1897 and is 212 feet high. The wheel—which originally had 30 gondolas—was severely damaged in WW II. Only 15 gondolas were replaced (every other strut is empty).
40-East corner of Stephens Platz
41-East corner of Stephens Platz
42-Looking northeast, the Ringturm (Ring Tower) on the right is just under 300 feet high. The next photo zooms in on the long aluminum window wall in the center.
43-Sweeping up. This looks like a club, with perhaps a rooftop pool.
44-Looking northeast, the Ringturm (Ring Tower) on the right is just under 300 feet high. Nice green hills and fields.
45-The northeast facade
47-Donauturm (Danube Tower—the needle) is 827 feet high. The Media Tower to the front and right (with digital screen above the roof) is 233 feet high.
48-The Millennium Tower (center) is 663 feet high; Raiffeisen Haus is the next building to the right.
