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St.Stephan's CathedralIn the cathedral
Archeological excavation - View to front in direction altar
On the occasion of the festival to that 850-anniversary of the church in the year 1997 a heating inside the dome should be installed. Since now a heating comes out from only one inlet pipe. Now the warm air comes from 13 thermal distributors, the temperature should be 10C.
Thereby were extensive excavations necessary, which were accomplished from the Bundesdenkmalamt under direction of Mr.Johann Offenberger. They were surprised when they found old foundations and graves from 4th century p.Chr and thousands of skeletons (some with denture from baroque times). No goodies were were buried in the oldest graves with the bodies, so it must be Christs - but 2 graves were robbered. Therefor the history of the cathedral does not start in the year 1137 with the contract Mautner Tauschvertrag between Count Markgraf Leopold IV. and Passau's bishop, but essentially formerly. The graves point to an existing church with parish- and before everything burial authority. The foundations point to buildings, the oldest might originate a defensewall. For foundations of later buildings obviously the stones of former buildings were used. The history the St.Stephan's starts at times of ancient Romans, the church originally was located outside the city walls. Cautious estimates date the first buildings to 500 - 900 p.Chr.
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