New Cathedral, Linz

New Cathedral, Linz tickets: which one to buy

The New Cathedral, known as the Mariendom, stands a few minutes south of Linz's main square and is the largest church in Austria by capacity. Entry is free. Guided tours are offered regularly, including tower tours that take small groups up into the spire along narrow stairs and walkways; these must be booked in advance and are the highlight for anyone interested in architecture or views.

Walking tours of Linz combine the cathedral with the old town, the Ars Electronica Center on the Danube and the Lentos art museum, since the city mixes baroque heritage with a modern image as a centre for digital art. Organ concerts are held in the cathedral, and at Christmas its nativity scene is a local attraction. The cathedral is easily reached on foot from the main square or by tram from the station. The cathedral also runs a small exhibition on its construction history inside the tower base.

Visiting New Cathedral, Linz: what to see

The cathedral was designed by the Cologne architect Vincenz Statz in the neo-Gothic style and built between 1862 and 1924, commissioned by Bishop Franz Joseph Rudigier. Its spire reaches about 135 metres and was intentionally built slightly lower than the south tower of Saint Stephen's in Vienna, a restriction imposed so that no church in Austria would be taller. Inside, the cathedral can hold around twenty thousand people. The long nave is lit by large stained glass windows, including the famous Linz Window, which shows scenes from the city's history and its people, and there are carved altars and a large organ.

The crypt holds the tomb of Bishop Rudigier. In the Advent and Christmas season a large nativity scene, carved by the sculptor Sebastian Osterrieder in the early twentieth century, is displayed in a side chapel. The choir windows depict the life of the Virgin in rich colours, and the high altar is carved in stone with figures of saints under Gothic canopies. The organ, built by Rieger, is one of the largest in Austria and is played for concerts during the summer.

New Cathedral, Linz opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, and visiting pauses during services. Tower tours run on certain days, mainly in the warmer months, and can sell out, so book ahead. Linz is at its busiest during the Ars Electronica Festival in September, when the city is filled with digital art installations, and during the summer Klangwolke, a sound and light show over the Danube.

December brings Christmas markets and the nativity scene. Summer is pleasant along the river, and the Postlingberg hill above the city, reached by a historic tram, offers views of the cathedral spire. Allow about half an hour for the cathedral, and about an hour and a half for a tower tour. The old town and the baroque Old Cathedral, where Anton Bruckner was organist, are about ten minutes' walk north.