New Cathedral (Mariendom)

The basics

The New Cathedral is an essential sight for any Linz visitor with an interest in history, so most city walking tours stop here. Guides can unpack the stories behind the stained glass, particularly the Linz Window, as well as accompanying you to the upper gallery to get a perspective on the vast interior. Book a spire climb for sweeping views across the Danube and Linz Old Town. The tower stands 440 feet (135 meters) high, just slightly shorter than Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom).

Things to know before you go

• The New Cathedral is a must for architecture fans, history buffs, and sightseers.

• The cathedral’s welcome center has a café serving coffee and pastries.

• The cathedral is free to enter.

• The windows are undergoing a rolling restoration program, set to run until 2030. But some will always be available to view.

• As with any Catholic church, it’s worth being sensitive to religious sensibilities. Short-shorts, mini-skirts, and crop tops are not appropriate.

• With the exception of the spire, the New Cathedral is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

How to get there

The New Cathedral sits in the heart of Linz, about a 10-minute walk south of the city’s Main Square (Hauptplatz). From the train station, it’s about a 15-minute walk north, or you can catch the 45 or 46 buses.

When to get there

The New Cathedral is open from 7:30am–7pm Monday to Saturday, and 8am–7:15pm on Sundays and public holidays. Note that only worshippers are allowed to enter during mass, which happens at 6:15am Monday to Saturday and at 9am, 10am, 11:30am, and 6:15pm on Sundays. Note that religious festivals can affect mass timings.

Linz’s must-see churches

Linz is so Catholic that it even has a Catholic university and the New Cathedral is not its only noteworthy church. On Main Square (Hauptplatz) stands the Old Cathedral (Alter Dom or Ignatiuskirche), a glorious baroque confection with a wedding cake of an interior. The composer Anton Bruckner was the organist here. From the Old Cathedral, it’s only a short stroll to St. Martin’s Church (Martinskirche), one of Austria’s oldest places of worship. A church has stood on this site for more than 1,200 years.