Vienna Old Town Audio Guide

Vienna Old Town: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to the Heart of Vienna

   Welcome to Stephansplatz, the absolute center of Vienna and the geographic soul of Austria. As you stand here in the middle of the first district, also known as the Innere Stadt, you are at what locals call kilometer zero—the point from which all distances in the entire country are measured. This square has been the pulse of the city for nearly a thousand years. Look around and you will see a striking contrast: the medieval stone of the great cathedral on one side and the mirrors of the modern Haas House on the other. For centuries, this was not just a square but also a sacred cemetery, and beneath your feet lies a labyrinth of catacombs and ancient Roman foundations called Vindobona. Today, it is a pedestrian paradise where the sound of clip-clopping horse carriages, or Fiakers, blends with the chatter of people from every corner of the globe. Take a deep breath and soak in the atmosphere of a city that was once the capital of a massive empire.

2. 02

   A Masterpiece in the Sky

   Dominating the square is Saint Stephen's Cathedral, which the Viennese affectionately call the Steffl. Its most recognizable feature is undoubtedly the roof, covered in exactly 230,000 glazed tiles. If you look closely, you will see the double-headed eagle, the symbol of the Habsburg Empire, and the coat of arms of the city of Vienna. The roof is so steep—at an angle of 80 degrees—that rain naturally washes the tiles clean and snow almost never settles on it. The south tower you see reaching for the heavens stands at 136 meters tall, and for a long time, no other building in the city was allowed to be taller. Here is a practical tip for those with plenty of energy: you can climb the 343 narrow steps of the south tower for the most breathtaking view of the city's red rooftops and hills. If you prefer a shorter trip, a north tower elevator can take you to the massive twenty-one-ton Pummerin bell, which only rings on the most special occasions.

3. 03

   The Secret Code of the Resistance

   If you walk toward the main entrance of the cathedral, known as the Giant Gate or Riesentor, look to the right of the portal about eye level. You will see a small, glass-protected etching in the stone that reads letter O and the number five. This is not graffiti; it is a sacred piece of history. During the final years of the second world war, this was the secret code of the Austrian resistance against the Nazi regime. The code is clever: the letter O stands for the first letter of Oesterreich, which is the German word for Austria. In German, the letter O-umlaut is often written as O-E. Since E is the fifth letter of the alphabet, O-five was a hidden way to say Austria. It was a sign of hope that the country would one day be independent again. While you are at the entrance, observe the two iron bars of different lengths embedded in the wall nearby; these were medieval measuring scales used by merchants to ensure they were not being cheated on fabric lengths right in front of the church.

4. 04

   The Nail Tree and Devilish Legends

   Turn your back to the cathedral and look toward the corner where the shopping street called the Graben begins. There, protected by glass on the corner of the Palais Equitable, sits a strange relic known as the Stock-im-Eisen, or the staff in iron. It is the midsection of a spruce tree trunk from the middle ages, absolutely bristling with hundreds of nails. Analysis shows the tree began growing around the year 1400. According to local legend, traveling locksmith apprentices would hammer a nail into the wood for good luck as they passed through Vienna. There is even a darker story about an apprentice who sold his soul to the Devil to forge an unpickable lock for this very tree. To this day, the trunk remains a mysterious symbol of the city's guilds. While you are here, notice how the glass facade of the Haas House directly across from you perfectly reflects the cathedral’s Gothic spires. It is the city’s way of ensuring that even the most modern buildings pay respect to the historical giants surrounding them.

5. 05

   Beyond the Cathedral Walls

   As you finish your look around the square, remember that every narrow alley leading away from here has its own secrets. If you follow the street called the Graben, you will run into the magnificent Plague Column, a gold-leafed masterpiece built to thank God for the end of a devastating epidemic in the seventeenth century. Or, if you wander behind the cathedral, you will find quieter streets where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart once lived while composing some of his greatest works. Today, you might choose to visit a traditional Viennese coffee house for a slice of Sachertorte or descend into the catacombs to see the final resting places of bishops and Habsburg royalty. The square is always changing: from the colorful Christmas markets in December to the street performers in the summer sun. There is no right or wrong way to explore from here. Let your curiosity guide you down the cobblestone paths of this UNESCO World Heritage site and see what hidden courtyards you can discover for yourself.