Category Archives: Churches

The Round Church Cambridge

This will be the last post of our travel journal for our time in Cambridge from March 8th-March 14th, 2026. This post will cover Friday late afternoon and evening into Saturday March 14th.

On Friday afternoon as we made our way back to The Wilde, we noticed the Round Church was open to visitors.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, universally known as the Round Church, is one of only four surviving medieval round churches in England. Built around 1130 by the Fraternity of the Holy Sepulchre, its iconic circular design was directly modeled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It is currently managed by the educational charity, Christian Heritage.

This panel was such a great presentation of Christianity.

I missed seeing the images in the tiles.

The historical panels were extensive and so well done. You could spend a lot of time reading the history through the centuries.

 

This brings me to the wrap up of our Cambridge travel journal.

I loved walking in a town with Jesus Lane, All Saints Passage, Jesus Green, Trinity Lane, Trinity College, Christ College, Emmanuel College, Jesus College.

Such rich history and foundation of Christianity in the past. In the present day you wonder how many students have an inkling of all of this.

As is always the case, we came, we wandered, and in no way did we see all there is to see or learn all there is to learn. We are grateful for what we did see and what we did learn. Time will tell if we will ever return.

Our bus ticket was for 9:20 on Saturday March 14th. We were up early and had our showers and were all packed up and ready to go. I went down to the lobby to see what pastries were available to purchase to have with our coffee. The almond croissants were huge. (One would have been good to split) March 14th happens to be my birthday so the hotel manager of the morning gave us two on the house!

Our taxi got us to the National bus stop on Parkside and we were off for our 2-1/2 hour bus ride to Heathrow Airport.

We had time at the airport to enjoy a bite to eat before boarding our plane for our 11+ hour flight home. One weird thing about our boarding was that we were bused to the plane and had to climb up the stairs to board. Thinking back on that, we should have asked for assistance with our carry-ons! (Being over 70)

Woohoo! We had a window row to ourselves so we were able to stretch out our legs over the course of the flight. The attendants found out (I told them) that it was my birthday so champagne arrived almost immediately and then when we got off the plane in Seattle, a Happy Birthday announcement was made over the speakers. Arriving in Seattle, we went through customs and then waited for our short hop flight to Spokane.

In Spokane, our son was waiting to drive us home with our car decorated and stuffed with balloons to wish me a Happy Birthday. Our Grands included these sweet cards.

And that my friends, is the end of this travel story.

Life goes on and the ordinary continues and we thank God for that, too.

Cambridge the 13th of March 2026

Our travel journal is coming to an end with our last full day in Cambridge on Friday the 13th of March. First thing that morning we walked to The Locker Cafe on King St. After we arrived and ordered it became quite busy.

This day would turn out to be a blustery cold day and our coats stayed on.

We ordered the Shakshuka and it was delicious.

After breakfast we walked to the Market area of Cambridge to see if St. Edward King and Martyr church was open before their scheduled mass at 10:30. We wanted to pop in before mass started.

Along this passageway Greg spotted our first dinky door!

Some of Cambridge’s most charming architecture is tucked away at ankle level. Since 2019, an anonymous couple has been working toward their mission of “Saving the World” by installing little portals to whimsical delight throughout Cambridge.

You can see why they are easy to miss. Can you see it?

You can read about dinky doors here.

The church played a unique role in the early days of the Reformation. A group of evangelicals in Cambridge, of whom Thomas Bilney was the first, had been meeting regularly in the early 1520s. They were influenced by a fresh translation of the New Testament by Erasmus and by the ideas of Luther, and they believed passionately in the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ.

At the Christmas Midnight Mass here in 1525, Robert Barnes preached what is thought to be the first openly evangelical sermon to be preached in any church in the country, proclaiming the Christian Gospel and accusing the Church of its heresies. This event led to St. Edward’s often being called the cradle of the Reformation in England.

Other reformers preached regularly at St. Edward’s, including Hugh Latimer until he left Cambridge in 1531. Some of his sermons preached here have been preserved, and the pulpit from which the reformers preached is still in use today.

Barnes and Latimer were both put to death for their beliefs. As he comforted Nicholas Ridley at the stake in Oxford. Latimer said ‘Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.’

These windows are in honor Thomas Bilney and Hugh Latimer

To the Glory of God and to honour those from this Parish who in the years 1523 to 1525 met near by at the White Horse Inn and there sought out the principles of the English Reformation Thomas Bilney + 1531 – Robert Barnes + 1540 – Hugh Latimer + 1555 who through faith quenched the violence of fire.

Since mass was about to start we didn’t take a lot of photos or hang around for long but we were happy to put more pieces together of the history of the Reformation in England.

Making our way next to ‘Bodies in the Bookshop’ we came across this bookshop that was not open.

The wind and the cold prompted us to pop into any shop along the way that looked interesting. We were thankful that there was no rain! As it turned out the Bodies in the Bookshop would not open till noon so we made the quick decision to pop into Fitzbillies and enjoy some hot tea. Greg started to feel under the weather and a spot of tea sounded good.

We were happy to get a seat far from the front door.

Greg opted for tea and a scone but I went for the classic Afternoon Tea.

When in Rome as the saying goes…

I didn’t want to leave England without enjoying High Tea.

Earlier in the week we did partake of the famous ‘Fitzbillies Chelsea Bun’. I neglected to take a photo of them.

We enjoyed our food leisurely knowing we’d be out in the cold again.

The bookshop opened while we were having our tea so we backtracked to peruse the offerings.

We bought a used book by Elizabeth Goudge and a gift book and then started our trek back to our lodgings.

We managed to find two more dinky doors. We heard there are at least 14 of them sprinkled around town.

Before making it all the way back to our lodgings we stopped at the Round Church which was finally open when we passed by. That post I’ll save for another time.

After the Round Church Greg retired for the afternoon and evening in our aparthotel room. He was not feeling well. I ventured back out and about to see what I could see.

I wandered about taking photos.

I popped into a church, I passed along the way…

St. Ephraim Orthodox Parish

In looking up this church now that I’m home I found out the history of it.

On December 2, 2023, celebrations were held dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the founding of the parish of the Sourozh diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church in honour of St. Ephraim the Syrian in Cambridge, UK.

I didn’t realize I had stepped into a Russian Orthodox Church. I learn so much after the fact! I knew it was an Orthodox church and different from other churches we have visited in the U.K.

Via Crucis Via Lucis ~The Way of the Cross, The Way of Light

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum ~ May the Peace of the Lord be always with you.

Before I joined Greg for the evening, I popped into Pizza Express and ordered a pizza to go for us to have in our room.

One more post coming up for the finale of our time in Cambridge, England. Thank you for traveling along with us.

Cambridge Off the Beaten Path

It was still Thursday March 12th as we made our haphazard way to Emmanuel College from the Fitzwilliam museum in Cambridge. There were a few more stops to include in our travel journal. These were not your normal tourist stops.

It was nice to see some signs of Spring arriving soon.

It was about a half a mile walk to St. Andrews Street from Trumpington.

Don’t forget to look up!

Someone called Emmanuel College the “Seedbed of the English Reformation”.

“I have set an acorn, which when it becomes an oak, God alone knows what will be the fruit thereof.”
– Sir Walter Mildmay replying to Queen Elizabeth I on the founding of Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1584.

We were curious as to whether we could see that quote written somewhere on campus and we got some information from the porter’s office that was a wild goose chase. But while heading to the area where said quote was to be found we made another discovery.

St. Andrew’s Street Baptist Church.

The church was all locked up so we couldn’t go inside. That was a disappointment.

1855 Josiah Chater records that Charles Spurgeon came twice to preach at St Andrew’s Baptist church, 6th April and 8th August. “Agnes and I heard him and liked him very much indeed: he gave an excellent sermon.”

Charles Spurgeon is a favorite of mine and of many others as well. “The Prince of Preachers.”

On our back roads walk to our lodgings we passed the King’s Street Brewery and decided we’d return there for our dinner.

One more Fish and Chips meal in England.

This back roads walk also helped us choose where we would enjoy breakfast on Friday the 13th, our last full day in Cambridge.

Along Trumpington St. in Cambridge

Our Danube/Cambridge travel journal is creeping to it’s end. On Thursday the 12th of March we managed a variety of experiences. After our tour of Trinity College we popped into Gail’s Bakery for a fortifying treat before we continued. This was a cooler day than we had experienced so far.

After being fortified we continued along Trumpington Street. We noticed that Great St. Mary’s University Church was accessible. There was work on the church tower while we were in town and the main entrance had been sealed off most days. We decided to enter in while we could. The tower was not accessible during our short visit.

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One of the features of the church when you first walk into the building is the large East window (the stained glass window above the Altar). This was installed in 1872, and tells the story of Jesus’ birth, from the angel’s visit to Mary, to the nativity scene, to the flight into Egypt.

I was taken with the wood carvings on the ends of the pews.

Great St Mary’s has played a central role in many of England’s religious transformations. During the Reformation, sermons preached here influenced the spread of Protestant ideas, while leading figures including Hugh Latimer, Thomas Cranmer and later university preachers addressed congregations from its pulpit. 

We moved further along Trumpington and saw the open door at St. Botolph’s church and walked in.

The church is dedicated to Botolph, a seventh-century abbot in East Anglia, who is a patron saint of travelers. The church was built by the long-demolished south gate of medieval Cambridge, through which travelers from the south and west entered the town.

This church had their kneeling pads on display.

Moving along we spotted this bookstore and we would come back to it once it opened.

Pembroke College was open to visitors so we ventured in to check out their Chapel.

Nicholas Ridley was Principal of Pembroke College from 1540-1553 and then became the Bishop of Gloucester. In the Hall at Pembroke (we didn’t gain access) are portraits of Ridley and of John Bradford, a Pembroke graduate martyred in Smithfield in 1555. Bradford was overheard encouraging a younger martyr with the words:

‘Be of good comfort, brother, for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night.’

The Chapel is the first building of Christopher Wren, consecrated in 1665. Its new classical style set the fashion for other College chapels and continues to afford a fine setting for Christian worship and music.

We moved on from Pembroke and noticed Little Mary’s Lane.

Back in my thrifting days I came across a set of three watercolors from the 1980’s that I purchased from Goodwill.

It was fun to spot the inspiration of these watercolors purchased years ago.

Our last stop on Trumpington would be the Fitzwilliam Museum and I’ll leave that for another post.

Ely Cathedral Stained Glass Museum

Our Danube to Cambridge Travel Journal continues with a visit to the Stained glass Museum housed up many stone stairs in Ely Cathedral. This visit was on Wednesday March 11th, 2026.

Looking down to the narthex where we entered the cathedral.

The Annunciation

The Three Marys at the tomb.

The Arms of Queen Margaret of Anjou, 1843.

St. Matthew shown writing the Gospel of Matthew

Nativity Scene window that was removed for safekeeping from a church that became redundant. Shortly afterwards, the church was demolished.

“Do not touch me” Mary at the Tomb when she recognizes Jesus.

The Dance of Salome

St. Peter

Mary and the Disciples at Christ’s Ascension

Holy, Holy, Holy

The Children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses.

The Visitation

The Good Shepherd

Mary and Martha and Jesus

King David

Michael

The Lost Silver, There is Joy over one Sinner that Repentith

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Christ and His Followers

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Finding Jesus in the Temple

Suffer the Little Children

Descent of the Holy Spirit

The Anointing of David King over Israel

Feed my Lambs

Nativity

These were the windows that stood out to me. There were more but I restrained myself.

From the museum we walked over to the Almonry for a bite to eat.

Check out the ceiling!

After our light meal we walked back to the Train Station for our ride back to Cambridge. This was a bright and blustery day.

Just a few more posts to complete our travel journal in Cambridge after our Danube River Cruise.

Inside Ely Cathedral

As previously mentioned, this continues our travel journal for Wednesday March 11 when we took a short train ride from Cambridge to Ely to visit the cathedral. These photos are numerous and are from the inside of Ely Cathedral.

The entrance was through those amazing doors!

Ely Cathedral has origins dating back to AD 673 when St Etheldreda built an Abbey Church. The present building dates back to 1083, and was granted Cathedral status in 1109.

 

Installed as part of the Victorian restoration, the incredible Nave Ceiling was the work of two artists.

Henry Styleman Le Strange painted the first six panels (counting from the west), and Thomas Gambier Parry painted the last six – you can observe a change of style between the sixth and seventh panels.

The ceiling tells the story of the ancestry of Jesus, beginning with Adam (panel 1) and continuing through Abraham (panel 4), David (panel 8) and Mary (panels 9 and 10).

It is almost impossible not to look up when you visit a cathedral. I liked this ceiling section with all the angels looking down. Reminded me of 1 Peter 1:12

“It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.”

Looking into the Quire.

These ornate organ pipes were fascinating to me.

The jewel of Ely’s Crown and acknowledged as one of the wonders of the Medieval world is the Octagan.

You can read more about the Octagon here.

That is not a missing panel but a door opening.

Our guide gave us important details about this doorway and I found more information here. They call this the Prior’s door (c.1135). A Romanesque carved doorway.

The Christ figure is contained within a mandorla – an almond shape traditionally used to frame images of the transcendent. Here Christ’s feet cross the boundary of the mandorla, stepping towards mankind.

 Two human heads with pronounced eyes just below the tympanum watch those passing through the door into the church and symbolically entering heaven.

From the link; Like the rest of the building, the deeply carved doorway is sculpted in extremely hard Barnack limestone. It has a tympanum – a half-moon shape at the top – which would originally have been brightly painted. It shows an unusual clean-shaven Christ sitting in judgement on the peoples of the earth. One hand is raised in blessing, the other holds the Book of Judgement from Revelation.

Processional Way (below) was built to join the Cathedral and the Lady Chapel.

We were now entering the Lady Chapel, the largest Lady Chapel attached to any British Cathedral. I copied the following from Ely Cathedral’s Website.

The thirteenth and fourteenth centuries saw the rise of the cult of the Virgin Mary, and chapels in her honour were added to many churches and cathedrals, including Ely.

All this was destroyed in the sixteenth century during the Reformation, which, in keeping with Puritan convictions, rejected all forms of religious decoration. The scars of this deformation are highly visible today. Traces of coloured paint can still be seen, and fragments of the glass survive in the central window on the south side. The exquisite figures in the lower niches have been defaced and above are the empty pedestals where the statues stood.

Walking back into the main sections of the Cathedral.

This narrow spiraling stone staircase leads to the organ. Hopefully the organist was slim.

 

The Quire

So much history and so much to see and take in. I’ve shared enough or maybe too much here today and it would take a few more visits to absorb more.

This was a very long photo journal of the interior of Ely Cathedral. I will save the stained glass museum housed in an upper section of the cathedral for another day.

1776 – 2026 ~250 Years!

From the prayer journal of the first president of the United States, George Washington.

“O eternal and everlasting God, I presume to present myself this morning before thy Divine majesty, beseeching thee to accept of my humble and hearty thanks, that it hath pleased thy great goodness to keep and preserve me the night past from all the dangers poor mortals are subject to, and has given me sweet and pleasant sleep, whereby I find my body refreshed and comforted for performing the duties of this day, in which I beseech thee to defend me from all perils of body and soul.

Direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the lamb, and purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit, from the dross of my natural corruption, that I may with more freedom of mind and liberty of will serve thee, the ever lasting God, in righteousness and holiness this day, and all the days of my life.

Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the Gospel. Give me repentance from dead works. Pardon my wanderings, & direct my thoughts unto thyself, the God of my salvation. Teach me how to live in thy fear, labor in thy service, and ever to run in the ways of thy commandments. Make me always watchful over my heart, that neither the terrors of conscience, the loathing of holy duties, the love of sin, nor an unwillingness to depart this life, may cast me into a spiritual slumber. But daily frame me more and more into the likeness of thy son Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time attain the resurrection of the just unto eternal life. Bless my family, friends & kindred unite us all in praising & glorifying thee in all our works begun, continued, and ended, when we shall come to make our last account before thee blessed Saviour, who hath taught us thus to pray, our Father.”

I’m humbled by this prayer from the first president of the United States. I pray along with it as I ready this post.

The stained glass window with the sun streaming through casting it’s light and color onto the statue of George Washington was taken at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. in May of 2011. Dear had a conference in D.C. and I was able to tag along. The National Cathedral is a must see if you ever travel to D.C.

Happy 250th Birthday United States of America!

Our Week in California

Before we parked at the Spokane airport for our flight to Orange County we enjoyed our Linner at the Rusty Moose in Airway Heights which is just a hop skip and a jump to the airport.

We arrived at the Santa Ana Airport in Orange County on Thursday evening May 7th. Our brother-in-law picked us up at the curb and brought us back to my sister Vera’s home in Huntington Beach, where we would be staying for a week. Our sister Vera had been in Arizona and she arrived this night, too, and brother-in-law headed back to the airport to pick her up. BIL lives in Texas and he arrived the afternoon of this day. This Orange county airport had a total of 7 of our family members arriving at different times on this day. We all initially traveled to attend our friends memorial service on Friday morning but after that we filled the rest of our time meeting up all over the L.A. area traversing the freeway system for graduation ceremonies, Mother’s Day meals, birthday meals and farewell meals with different family groups and different venues. Whew!

Our Washington kids were able to attend our Great Nephew’s graduation from The Masters College in Santa Clarita. They drove across Los Angeles from the Memorial Service to attend.

That evening we were treated to dinner at Seasons 52 in Costa Mesa with two of my sisters and brother-in-law. I didn’t take any photos.

Saturday this crew drove from different areas of L.A. and Orange County to meet for brunch at Twoheys. Those of us who weren’t at Jack’s graduation were able to congratulate him in person at this gathering. Some of us were also meeting his bride to be for the first time.

This restaurant moved from it’s original location in Alhambra to this South Pasadena location.

Retro, family-friendly American diner known for burgers & hot fudge sundaes since 1943.

Our church youth group would end up at this restaurant frequently in the 60’s and 70’s. That was when they were still in the Alhambra location. We could down a burger and then have one of their famous sundaes. My choice for a burger was always the Stinko Burger. A plain burger with a thick slice of raw onion. I ordered the same on this day for ‘old times sake’.

Josh and Laura left the 2EE’s gathering and headed straight to the airport to fly home.

Saturday evening this crew met up in Huntington Beach at Mario’s Mexican Restaurant for dinner. My brother Steve and SIL Kelly were able to make it to this gathering, driving out from Moorpark. Our niece Debbee was turning 50 this same week so we celebrated her. The Brother in law who picked us all up at the airport is sitting next to Greg. Me and my two sisters are seated at that end of the table. My brother is next to me and SIL across from him sitting next to our niece Melissa. Our niece Debbee is to the right and her hubby is taking the selfie. There was a two hour wait time for a table at this restaurant (remember this was Mother’s Day weekend) but…our Lenny, Debbie and Melissa are good customers here and the manager of the bar came up with seating for us in 20 minutes! Muy Bueno!

On Sunday, Greg and I attended Beach Bible Church (formerly Evangelical Free of Huntington Beach) with my sister Vera. This was Mother’s Day. This was the same church Greg and I attended when we lived in Huntington Beach in the mid 70’s and mid 80’s. Both of our sons were dedicated in this church. It hasn’t changed much and it is still a Bible believing and Bible preaching church. The service with the worship songs and preaching was balm to the soul.

At some point during the weekend gatherings there was a last minute decision to gather at Vera’s home for a Mother’s Day meal. Our niece Melissa offered to bring the pies and our nephew Ryan made a special gluten free cake for the gathering. Vera and I made the decision to order a couple dishes from a Chinese restaurant close by to make the day easy peasy. The Beef Broccoli and Orange Peel Chicken with steamed rice was just right for everyone.

I wasn’t with any of our children on Mother’s Day but it was nice to be with all my sisters, a few nieces, nephews, BIL’s, one brother and SIL.

Monday was beach day and I’ll save that post for another day.

Our flight home would be on Wednesday morning so our last gathering was on Tuesday night with a skeleton crew. My sisters Lana, Vera, Greg and I had a wonderful meal at an Italian Restaurant in Newport Beach called Sapori.

It was a very nice finale to our time in Southern California.

Vera drove us to the airport on Wednesday morning. Thank you, Vera, for your hospitality and to all our family who drove miles for our gatherings. Thank you, Lana, for giving up your bed for a few nights and for the use of that amazing hair dryer! 🙂

Our Friend Ken

Ken’s Memorial Service was held on May 8th, 2026. We traveled to Southern California for the service.

Ken and Heidi’s son, son in law, daughter and grandsons all spoke, read scripture, in honor of their dad’s, pop pop’s, memory. They spoke much of Ken’s love for his Savior, Jesus Christ.

Old Testament Readings:

Isaiah 40:31 ~ …but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 45:22 ~Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Isaiah 12:2 ~ Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.

Psalm 56:3-4 ~ When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

Joshua 1:9 ~ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

New Testament Readings:

John 14:1~ Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

1 Peter 5:7 ~ …casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Philippians 3:20-21 ~ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

My brother-in-law led the congregation in singing. We sang, How Great Thou Art, It is Well with my Soul, and “God be with you till we meet again”.

God be with you till we meet again;
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Refrain

Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus’ feet;
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

Our kids and our nieces with Ken’s daughter.

After the beautiful service we had time to catch up with friends and family at a reception at the church. It was so good to see old friends we haven’t seen for ages. I should have taken more photos.

All my sisters in order of birth.

My college bestie who was married to my cousin.

My dear friend, Ken’s beloved wife, Heidi.

The memorial for Ken was held at the same church that Ken and Heidi got married in back in November of 1978. I was the matron of honor, pregnant with our firstborn son. Greg and I were both in the wedding. We met Ken when he started dating Heidi.

The photo above is after the wedding reception at our home in Huntington Beach. Ken and Heidi opened wedding gifts and then changed and headed off for their honeymoon. That’s my dear old Pop watching on. Heidi and I spent so much time together that she was part of the family.

The upper photo in the collage was Christmas 1979 when they were expecting their first baby and the two lower photos were of our last time together as couples in November of 2025. Ken and Heidi traveled to our home to visit. It was a precious time of catching up and of also understanding that these were Ken’s final months on this earth. We had a glimpse of the suffering that they were in the midst of. It helped us to know how to pray for them in the months after this visit and leading up to Ken’s death.

This next song was one that Ken listened to the last months of his struggle and one that comforted him. He shared it with his dear family. It was played at the end of his memorial service.

It is such a comfort to know that Ken is with his Savior, Jesus Christ and that his suffering on earth is over.

Till we meet again, Ken, at Jesus’ feet!

Vienna Part 3 ~ St. Stephen’s Cathedral

After our carriage ride on Thursday March 5th we followed our tour guide to the center of the city ending our tour with St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In the first photos below you can see the steeple of the church.

This was a very busy central section of Vienna with shops and restaurants and cafes.

A different reminder of what Austria and Vienna are famous for. Later in the evening of this day we would be attending a concert at the House of Strauss.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the symbol of Vienna and also the very center of the city. At 136 meters in height, it is the tallest church in Austria.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is not only Austria’s most important Gothic building. The Steffl, as it is affectionately known in Vienna, is much more than that. It is a landmark, a symbol of identity and synonymous with the reconstruction of the Republic after the Second World War. Construction of St. Stephen’s Cathedral began in the 12th century and its interior changed repeatedly over the centuries until it was finally given its current Baroque appearance. The tallest of its four towers is the south tower at 136 meters. The tower room, from which there is a gigantic view across Vienna, is reached via 343 steps. A total of 13 bells hang here. However, the best known of them, the Pummerin, hangs in the 68 meter-tall north tower. It is the second-biggest free-swinging chimed church bell in Europe.

I added a link to the details on the roof.

On the roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, colorful roof tiles were laid to create the Royal and Imperial double-headed eagle and the coat of arms of the city of Vienna.

At this point our guide left us on our own for a time before she would return and meet us to take us back to our bus stop for the return to the boat.

So many statues and gargoyles on the outer walls of the cathedral.

From a video by Rick Steve’s on St. Stephen’s Cathedral,

The ornate nave is Gothic with a Baroque overlay. While the columns support the roof, they also tell a story. Richly populated with statues, they make a saintly parade that leads right up to the high altar…

The Gothic pulpit, carved from sandstone, is a masterpiece.

I took this photo of the painting but I could not find a description anywhere. Is it supposed to be Stephen?

This code ‘O5’ is placed at the right side of the main entrance of St Stephen’s Cathedral. It was the code of an Austrian resistance group during World War II. It stands for Ö (Österreich) built by O and the 5th letter of the alphabet (= OE).

Originally the code was just painted but after World War II it has been engraved and covered by a transparent plate.

On the way back to our bus stop we saw another interesting plaque.

President John F. Kennedy met Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in Vienna, Austria, on June 3-4, 1961, for a 2-day summit aimed at easing Cold War tensions. The meeting was contentious, with Khrushchev bullying the new president, particularly over the status of divided Berlin. The summit failed to produce agreements, leading to heightened tensions.

Kudos to guides who know about these details in cities because most probably on our own we would miss them totally.

There are so many churches in Vienna that I would have liked to visit.

This was another beautiful winter day on our river cruise.

We made it back to the bus and back to the Danube where the AmaMagna was docked. On this night we would have an earlier dinner because we were booked for a concert in the evening at The House of Strauss.