The magic pull of Vienna’s Cathedral

It is a sunny afternoon. There is a huge crowd of tourists drawn from all the nations of the earth in front of the cathedral, gazing at its lofty architecture, and taking pictures of same as well as of themselves. Men and women of different ages peer upwards to look at its stirring rooftop, which […]

It is a sunny afternoon. There is a huge crowd of tourists drawn from all the nations of the earth in front of the cathedral, gazing at its lofty architecture, and taking pictures of same as well as of themselves. Men and women of different ages peer upwards to look at its stirring rooftop, which is another great sight.In front of the Cathedral, are a number of costumed men, who are giving out handbills announcing a forthcoming concert on the music of Wolfgang Mozart which will hold in the cathedral. They are dressed as men would have dressed at the time of Mozart. They both wear white wigs, red coats and matching trousers and socks.  
There is a powerful resurrection of history and culture here. This is a common feature of the capital, and a lot of this is seen as the  visitor goes round the city. Nearby, are a number of horse drawn carriages which can take the tourists round the Old City for a fee. It is a very exciting trip if you can afford it.This costs 80 Euros for a forty minute tour of the city. There is so much fun and learning within and around the Cathedral.
The Cathedral is located within the old city of Vienna which presents a number of historic buildings, each with stirring architecture and histories. A book on the building authored by Reinhard Gruber states “The Cathedral rises up like a coral from the sea of buildings in the inner city. Since its construction it has served as a symbol of the history and destiny of Austria itself.” The cathedral was destroyed during the Second World War, and reconstructed shortly thereafter. Thus, the building  is symbolic of the “resurrection and restoration of Austria as a free and independent nation,” the book  goes on to state.
The beginnings of the cathedral are not very clear. It is likely that there might have been a ‘pagan sanctuary’ on the site of the Church, says one source. There is also the possibility that there were Roman burial grounds on the site too.Reinhard Gruber recounts an interesting story of events  that occurred in Vienna in the  12th century in his book. His words “Count Heinrich had a dream in which he saw a young master builder holding plans for a huge Church in his hands. The ruler interpreted this as a  divine mission and ordered the  Stephansdom to be built. The cornerstone was laid in 1137.”
The interior of the 12th century church is breathtakingly beautiful. Its architecture awes the visitor to the point of silence. Mass is being conducted during this visit, and there is a fenced portion of the inside which the visitors cannot access.Nice, instrumental  music  of a special  quality, is being played. There is a small shop within the church where  items relating to the Church can be bought. These include some literature, CDs of musical performances earlier done at the church, pictures of the great Cathedral etc. A huge multicultural  crowd streams into the cathedral every single minute of the visit. If you are in Vienna, try and visit this great Church where religion and tourism unite.