Stephansplatz (Vienna U-Bahn)
Encyclopedia
Stephansplatz is an important destination and interchange station in the Vienna U-Bahn
system. It is located under the Stephansplatz and is served by the and lines.
Stephansplatz station opened on 18 November 1978. Designated officially as the central node of the U-Bahn by City in on-train announcements and on network maps by a pictogram of its namesake, the Stephansdom, the station serves the heart of the Altstadt and connects two of the busiest lines, making it one of the busiest stations in the city. The U1 between it and Karlsplatz has the highest ridership in the system: approximately 167,000 riders per day in 2004.
, in Kärntner Straße
and in Goldschmiedegasse. To preserve the streetscape, they are not covered. The Goldschmiedegasse entrance is via a lift on the outside of the Haas-Haus
and is wheelchair-accessible. The remaining entrances have escalators and stairs. There are a total of 23 escalators of varying lengths, and 3 additional lifts within the station.
The U1 runs deeper underground and has an island platform; the two U3 platforms are single platforms stacked above each other. An information kiosk and a Wiener Linien
ticket purchase outlet are located on the upper level of the station. In addition, two Viennese bakery brands have stores within the station complex. Until its relocation in 2005, there was also a police station.
within the Ringstraße
had been a long-term need in Vienna. As early as the 19th century, plans had been proposed for a central station immediately next to the Stephansdom
. The Palais Equitable
, built in 1887–91 for The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States on the adjacent Stock-im-Eisen Platz, actually has a covered stairway that was intended to be adaptable as an U-Bahn access.
Construction of the Stephansplatz station began as part of the creation of the basic network (Grundnetz) in May 1973. Deep excavation at the site was completed in August 1977 and construction of the station then proceeded largely in an open pit. The U3 connection was planned from the beginning and prepared for as part of the work in the 1970s, but that part of the station only opened in 1991.
In the course of digging in front of the cathedral in 1973, the Vergilius Chapel, closed off in the 18th century and completely forgotten, was rediscovered. It was excavated by archaeologists and integrated into the station.
s. However, the true cause is that to prevent the sandy ground under the cathedral from sinking and undermining it, an organic binding agent was used to stabilise the ground. On warm days, a chemical reaction caused by the binding agent produces butyric acid
, which mingles with seeping groundwater
and causes the unpleasant odour and also leaves deposits in the station.
Vienna U-Bahn
The Vienna U-Bahn is a rapid transit system consisting of five lines. It is the backbone of one of the best performing public transport systems worldwide according to UITP in June 2009. More than 1.3 million passengers use the Vienna U-Bahn every day...
system. It is located under the Stephansplatz and is served by the and lines.
Stephansplatz station opened on 18 November 1978. Designated officially as the central node of the U-Bahn by City in on-train announcements and on network maps by a pictogram of its namesake, the Stephansdom, the station serves the heart of the Altstadt and connects two of the busiest lines, making it one of the busiest stations in the city. The U1 between it and Karlsplatz has the highest ridership in the system: approximately 167,000 riders per day in 2004.
Station layout
The U-Bahn platforms lie up to five storeys below the Stephansplatz. Station entrances are located in the square, in the GrabenGraben, Vienna
Der Graben is one of the most famous streets in Vienna's first district, the city centre. It begins at Stock-im-Eisen-Platz next to the Palais Equitable and ends at the junction of Kohlmarkt and Tuchlauben. Another street in the first district is called Tiefer Graben...
, in Kärntner Straße
Kärntner Straße
Kärntner Straße is the most famous shopping street in central Vienna . It runs from the Stephansplatz out to the Wiener Staatsoper at Karlsplatz on the Ringstraße...
and in Goldschmiedegasse. To preserve the streetscape, they are not covered. The Goldschmiedegasse entrance is via a lift on the outside of the Haas-Haus
Haas-Haus
The Haas-Haus is a building in Vienna at the Stock-im-Eisen-Platz.Designed by the Austrian architect Hans Hollein, it is a building in the postmodernist style and was completed in 1990. The use of the Haas-Haus is divided between retail and a restaurant. The building is considered controversial...
and is wheelchair-accessible. The remaining entrances have escalators and stairs. There are a total of 23 escalators of varying lengths, and 3 additional lifts within the station.
The U1 runs deeper underground and has an island platform; the two U3 platforms are single platforms stacked above each other. An information kiosk and a Wiener Linien
Wiener Linien
Wiener Linien are the company running the largest part of the public transit network in the city of Vienna, Austria. They are part of the city corporation Wiener Stadtwerke Holding AG.- Governing structure and statistics :...
ticket purchase outlet are located on the upper level of the station. In addition, two Viennese bakery brands have stores within the station complex. Until its relocation in 2005, there was also a police station.
History
Adequate public transport service to the Innere StadtInnere Stadt
The Innere Stadt is the 1st municipal District of Vienna . The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expanded in 1850, the Innere Stadt was congruent with the city of Vienna...
within the Ringstraße
Ringstraße
The Ringstraße is a circular road surrounding the Innere Stadt district of Vienna, Austria and is one of its main sights...
had been a long-term need in Vienna. As early as the 19th century, plans had been proposed for a central station immediately next to the Stephansdom
Stephansdom
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP...
. The Palais Equitable
Palais Equitable
The Palais Equitable is a mansion in Stock-im-Eisen-Platz in the Innere Stadt of Vienna, Austria that was built in the 19th century for The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and that incorporates the Stock im Eisen on one corner....
, built in 1887–91 for The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States on the adjacent Stock-im-Eisen Platz, actually has a covered stairway that was intended to be adaptable as an U-Bahn access.
Construction of the Stephansplatz station began as part of the creation of the basic network (Grundnetz) in May 1973. Deep excavation at the site was completed in August 1977 and construction of the station then proceeded largely in an open pit. The U3 connection was planned from the beginning and prepared for as part of the work in the 1970s, but that part of the station only opened in 1991.
In the course of digging in front of the cathedral in 1973, the Vergilius Chapel, closed off in the 18th century and completely forgotten, was rediscovered. It was excavated by archaeologists and integrated into the station.
Smell
The U1 station has an unpleasant smell which has given rise to urban legendUrban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
s. However, the true cause is that to prevent the sandy ground under the cathedral from sinking and undermining it, an organic binding agent was used to stabilise the ground. On warm days, a chemical reaction caused by the binding agent produces butyric acid
Butyric acid
Butyric acid , also known under the systematic name butanoic acid, is a carboxylic acid with the structural formula CH3CH2CH2-COOH. Salts and esters of butyric acid are known as butyrates or butanoates...
, which mingles with seeping groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
and causes the unpleasant odour and also leaves deposits in the station.
