Stephansplatz, Vienna

The Stephansplatz is a square at the geographical centre of Vienna. It is named after its most prominent building, the Stephansdom, Vienna's cathedral and one of the tallest churches in the world. Before the 20th century, a row of houses separated Stephansplatz from Stock-im-Eisen-Platz, but since their destruction, the name Stephansplatz started to be used for the wider area covering both. To the west and south, respectively, run the exclusive shopping streets Graben (literally "ditch") and Kärntner Straße ("Kärnten" is the German for Carinthia). Opposite the Stephansdom is the Haas-Haus, a piece of striking modern architecture by Hans Hollein. Although public opinion was originally skeptical about the combination of the mediæval cathedral and the glass and steel building, it is now considered an example of how old and new architecture can mix harmoniously [cite web |url=http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/A/A-HaasHaus.html |title=Haas-Haus |publisher=Glass Steel and Stone |accessdate=September 30 |accessyear=2006] .

"Stock im Eisen"

The "Stock-im-Eisen" ("staff in iron") is located at the corner of Kärntner Straße and Graben. It is a large piece of wood into which hundreds of nails have been hammered, ringed by an iron band which is closed by a large padlock. The Stock im Eisen is the subject of a myth wherein a repentant thief is given the power to create unpickable locks by the devil [cite web |url=http://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/oesterreich/wien/1_bezirk/stockimeisen2.html |title=Der Stock im Eisen |publisher=Das Project der Sagensammlung |accessdate=September 30 |accessyear=2006] . The "Stock im Eisen" was first mentioned in 1533 [cite web |url=http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.s/s873525.htm |title=Stock im Eisen |publisher=www.aeiou.at |accessdate=September 30 |accessyear=2006] .

U-Bahn station

The U-Bahn station at Stephansplatz is one of the busiest in the city, and is the only junction between the U1 and U3 underground lines. It is also the nearest U-Bahn station to many of the tourist attractions in the city centre.

Virgilkapelle

In 1973, during excavation works for the U-Bahn station, a mediæval chapel was discovered 12 metres under current ground level [cite web |url=http://www.wienmuseum.at/1391.htm |title=Virgilkapelle |publisher=Wien Museum |accessdate=September 30 |accessyear=2006] . It was built around 1250 as a "capella subterranea" in the Magdalenenkapelle (the outline of which is shown on the pavement of the Stephansplatz). It is possible that it was originally intended as a chapel for burials, but at least by the 14th century had become a crypt for a mercantile family.

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