St. Stephen’s Cathedral — affectionately known as Steffl by the Viennese — has dominated Vienna’s skyline since the 14th century and stands as the spiritual heart of the city. Its most striking feature is the steeply pitched roof covered in 230,000 glazed tiles arranged in intricate zigzag patterns and bearing the Habsburg double-headed eagle and the coat of arms of Vienna. The South Tower soars 136 meters and can be climbed via 343 steps for commanding views over the rooftops of the Innere Stadt and beyond to the Vienna Woods.

Inside, the cathedral’s cavernous Gothic nave is filled with artistic treasures: the intricately carved stone pulpit by Anton Pilgram, the Wiener Neustädter Altar, and the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Pócs. Beneath the cathedral, the catacombs house the copper urns containing the organs of the Habsburg emperors (their bodies rest in the Kapuzinergruft) and the bones of thousands of plague victims. The cathedral has survived Ottoman sieges, Napoleonic bombardment, and a devastating fire in the final days of World War II, each time being painstakingly restored.

Pro tip: Take the elevator up the North Tower to see the Pummerin, Austria’s largest bell, cast from melted-down Ottoman cannons. For the best exterior photograph, stand on the Graben pedestrian street looking east toward the cathedral’s western facade in the late afternoon golden light.