How to reconstruct a roof and which coat of arms to chose

After the rubble had been cleared and work to secure the structure was complete, St Stephen’s Cathedral was rebuilt in three stages. Just a few weeks after the catastrophic fire, it was announced that the cathedral would be restored to its pre-war form. Particular significance was given to the high, steep roof, which was regarded as a distinctive landmark. However, when it came to constructing the truss, debate was fierce – should reinforced concrete or steel be used? Fire safety concerns and a lack of materials meant that a wooden roof truss was out of the question.

During restoration of the roof from 1949 to 1950, there were also heated discussions on the question of which coat of arms to depict. Appeals for donations for the restoration had announced that the cathedral would be restored to its pre-1945 appearance, but new suggestions now emerged that went against this. The Republic wanted to be represented with the national coat of arms, but the City of Vienna also wanted to be taken into account – in recognition of its one million schilling donation. When the cardinal did not insist on the coat of arms of the archdiocese, this cleared the way for a solution to emerge: on the south side of the roof, the double-headed eagle would return in its original size with the addition of the date 1831, while the north side would now bear the coats of arms of the City of Vienna and of the Republic of Austria with the date 1950, the year the new roof was completed.