A while ago I wrote a post about Capuchin Church from Vienna expressing my thoughts exploring the religious part of Austria. Either way, still in the same post I mentioned about a crypt which is more or less linked to the church. There was actually a different one we were interested in visiting which is placed under the church but while the access to that one is no longer availalable, a new one was built in the building right next to the church which is not less impressive.
This one exceeded my expectations a lot actually, making it the most authentic and unique experience I had in a while, and definitely the best thing I’ve seen while in Vienna.
Our stay in Vienna happened on quite a fast pace due to short daylight, cold and rainy days, as well as being during the Christmas period which made the city a lot more crowded than in general. So along with checking out some Christmas markets that obviously we couldn’t miss, we also made our way towards some more or less known parts of Vienna.
The funny thing is that I was very close to miss visiting The Imperial Crypt because the girls I was traveling with said they would have an awkward feeling of getting inside the crypt and walk between so many coffins.
But since I don’t give up easily, I waited for the best moment when they entered some shops to buy sweets and dedicated that time to explore the crypt which honestly, I wouldn’t ever forgive myself if I had missed it, lol.
But as most of the stories have a happy ending too, that was also my case when I followed all the way down because the crypt is placed underground, and knew that there was no way to get back too soon.
Either way, I did get some flyers that included information and pictures about the crypt and gave them to my girls so they could taste a bit of my experience.
The price I had to pay for visiting the crypt was of €8.50 but depending if you are a student, children (<18) or retired, you will get a reduced ticket, as well if you visit this one as a family or group. Or even better, if you have a Vienna Pass, you can visit the Imperial Crypt for FREE!
Even from the beginning, you will be welcomed (ok that sounds a bit strange, lol), by a long corridor surrounded on both sides with a little fence that devides the path from the various coffins, each with its great importance but also unique design.
Along with these, you will notice plenty of panels with the names of those resting by, some of the names being quite famous even if you are not a local.
Depending on the part of the globe you are living in, you might be a lot more used with engraved coffins.
But in Romania, we are used to seeing those quite commonplace, in most of the cases being composed either from wood or marble for the richer families. The maximum you can get on a resting place is to buy a little shelter where to place the coffins instead of burying them underground and possible add some statues outside. But there is no chance to see such coffins on this part of Europe.
Based on that, my heart was entirely stolen even from the first steps I’ve made inside the crypt, not being sure which details I should capture with my phone camera first, as well as figure out which one is the best. Because as you can see, each of them has unique elements which most likely have a different meaning depeneding on how the life was for the person who’s resting inside.
I know taking a selfie where I was smiling between coffins is not one of the best pictures one can take and I promise I don’t usually act like that in crypts or graveyards, lol.
But as I said, I was really excited getting to see a crypt and really failed hiding this feeling while reading all those names and getting impressed by how much emotion they can share even after they no longer belong to the same world with us.
I’m saying that based on the year most of them made it to a different world which happened quite a few centuries ago. So while I’m used seeing either fortresses or churches dating from the 17th century, this time it was a bit different being surrounded by people from that period of time.
The main personalities resting within the crypt are the members of the House of Habsburg including everything from kings and queens to their children and close family members, but also 145 Habsburg royalty, 12 emperors, 18 empresses, and the hearts or cremated remains of five others, placed in urns.
The Imperial Crypt is composed of 107 metal sarcophagi, five urns, but also a few more recent coffins made of wood which keep being added even in the 21st century.
The idea behind the crypt was started by the wife of Emperor Matthias who wished for a burial place for them both which was supposed to be located in the neighborhood of the Hofburg castle in Vienna. She offered all the funds needed for this to happen but as there were a lot of distractions during the Thirty Years’ War the actual crypt ended up being shared with more important personalities of that time and be completely moved to a safer place and also closer to religion that is often represented through churches.
Being quite a lot of important names who wished for a reserved spot where to rest forever, each of them brought their contribution in one way or another donating funds or even getting involved in enlarging the crypt or making sure this won’t be shared too easily with others depending on their status in society.
Along with the names that perhaps sound familiar to many people around the world, I remember about Emperor Franz Joseph who was placed in a completely separate room from the others and which can be seen in one picture from above, Emperor Ferdinand, Empress Maria Theresa, and a lot more also managed to stand out.
Along with the sarcophagi and coffins that more or less shared a similar size, my attention was caught by some a lot smaller than normal, which included dozens of children who lost their life from various reasons too early.
Initially, all these were placed in a separate room that was quite suggestively called the Angel’s Vault. But with a new update to the crypt that was more than needed in 1960 after presenting an obviously deteriorating condition, most of them were arranged differently, the crypt also being extended with 20% more than it previously represented.
One of the most imposing rooms of the crypt which is extended on quite a large surface, is the Ferdinand Vault that shelters the family along with an additional 37 coffins for the minors and other members ruling the family, even if they are only descendants from a long period ago. Hence why, the total number of those who are resting in the Imperial Crypt in 2024, is no less than 145 members.
The most recent entombment happened last year, in 2023, and if you are curious to find a complete list with the names of those resting within the crypt, you can access it on this link and scroll all the way to the bottom.
Along with all the beauty and uniqueness that unlocked a completely new meaning and perspective for me based on the design of those places that represent a resting location for many people, the walls and ceiling of the crypt are no less impressive, there being various decorations and designs which impress in their own way too.
And if you feel like this place is worth more than just the price of a visiting ticket, keep in mind there is a donation box where you can bring your contribution, especially that the place is constantly facing a lot of degradation from humidity, variations in temperature, and other external elements based on the visitors who are coming by.
The Imperial Crypt is located on the Street Tegetthoffstraße 2, 1010 Wien, Austria in the 1st district of the inner city next to Neuer Markt which provides many routes either with a bus or a metro which is also the one we have chosen even though we had to walk a bit until reaching our destination.
This one is open daily between 10 AM to 6 PM.
Other places I’ve seen during my stay in Vienna:
- The Austrian Parliament Building
- Capuchin Church (Katholische Kapuzinerkirche “Hl. Maria von den Engeln”)
- The tour of the Christmas Markets from Vienna, Austria
- Stadtpark
- Shop Windows of Vienna, Austria
- Hundertwasser House (Hundertwasserhaus)
- The Imperial Crypt
more coming soon…
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Gabriela Travels 
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