The current church is the third to stand on this spot in Vienna. The second church survived the bombings of Vienna in World War II, but fire destroyed the roof near the end of the war during fierce fighting between the Nazis and the Russians. People in Vienna adore this old cathedral, and the roof was redone in its original glory by 1952. The beautiful ceramic tiles are decorative and are "owned" by donors who contributed to the renovation.
The church square surrounding St. Stephan's is quite lively, with lots of vendors. It is a fun place to people watch or as a meeting place for tour groups.