Vergilius Chapel, Medieval chapel in Innere Stadt, Austria
Vergilius Chapel is a medieval underground chapel beneath Stephansplatz in Vienna, sitting well below the current street level. The space has a rectangular layout with six niches and today functions as part of an archaeological museum open to visitors.
The chapel was built in the early 13th century under Duke Frederick the Warlike, the last of the Babenberg rulers. It is one of the oldest surviving religious structures in Vienna.
The chapel displays Gothic wall paintings and Celtic crosses set into its niches, which are still visible today. These works give a direct sense of what sacred decoration looked like in medieval Vienna.
The chapel is reached directly through Stephansplatz metro station, so no separate journey is needed. The underground space is cool and damp, so a light layer and sturdy shoes make the visit more comfortable.
The chapel was found by accident in 1973 when workers were digging for Vienna's metro line. It had been completely buried under the city for centuries, with no record of its exact location.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
