A tour of St. Stephen's Cathedral is a must for any visitor to Vienna. It is Austria's grandest gothic structure and the country's national symbol. It is said the Viennese suffer from homesickness as soon as St. Stephen’s is out of sight. It is close to their hearts, both as geographical and spiritual centre. Its unique silhouette has dominated Vienna’s skyline for almost 700 years. It suffered from fires, wars, neglect and pollution, but still fascinates and attracts people from all over the world. On this in-depth tour inside and outside the cathedral, we reveal what often escapes the casual visitor. We talk about the breathtaking architecture and what distinguishes it from western-European cathedrals, about the people who built it and the political and religious ambitions of both monarchs and burgher behind its construction. Of course, we cannot by-pass the heart-breaking story of its near-destruction in 1945 nor the amazing efforts of all Austria to see it reconstructed to its former glory.