ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL[A]

BY THOMAS FROGNALL DIBDIN

Of the chief objects of architecture which decorate street scenery in Vienna, there are none, to my old-fashioned eyes, more attractive and thoroughly beautiful and interesting—­from a thousand associations of ideas than places of worship, and of course, among these, none stands so eminently conspicuous as the mother-church, or the cathedral, which in this place, is dedicated to St. Stephen.  The spire has been long distinguished for its elegance and height.  Probably these are the most appropriate, if not the only, epithets of commendation which can be applied to it.  After Strasburg and Ulm, it appears a second-rate edifice.  Not but what the spire may even vie with that of the former, and the nave may be yet larger than that of the latter; but, as a whole, it is much inferior to either—­even allowing for the palpable falling off in the nave of Strasburg cathedral.

The spire, or tower—­for it partakes of both characters—­is indeed worthy of general admiration.  It is oddly situated, being almost detached—­and on the south side of the building.  Indeed the whole structure has a very strange, and I may add capricious, if not repulsive, appearance, as to its exterior.  The western and eastern ends have nothing deserving of distinct notice or commendation.  The former has a porch; which is called “the Giant’s porch;” it should rather be designated as that of the Dwarf.  It has no pretensions to size or striking character of any description.  Some of the oldest parts of the cathedral appear to belong to the porch of the eastern end.  As you walk round the church, you can not fail to be struck with the great variety of ancient—­and to an Englishman, whimsical looking mural monuments, in basso and alto relievos.  Some of these are doubtless both interesting and curious.

But the spire is indeed an object deserving of particular admiration.  It is next to that of Strasburg in height; being 432 feet of Vienna measurement.  It may be said to begin to taper from the first stage or floor; and is distinguished for its open and sometimes intricate fretwork.  About two-thirds of its height, just above the clock, and where the more slender part of the spire commences, there is a gallery or platform, to which the French quickly ascended, on their possession of Vienna, to reconnoiter the surrounding country.  The very summit of the spire is bent, or inclined to the north; so much so, as to give the notion that the cap or crown will fall in a short time.

As to the period of the erection of this spire, it is supposed to have been about the middle, or latter end, of the fifteenth century.  It has certainly much in common with the highly ornamental Gothic style of building in our own country, about the reign of Henry VI.  The colored glazed tiles of the roof of the church are very disagreeable and unharmonizing.  These colors are chiefly green, red, and blue.  Indeed the whole roof is exceedingly heavy and tasteless.