Capuchin Crypt

The Imperial Crypt

The Vienna audio-guided tour stops you before a plain church that contains the Imperial Crypt, the last resting place of the Habsburg dynasty. A place of burial still in use, it is visited with contemplation and the respect due to this imperial vault.

The last resting place of the Habsburgs

The Baroque church was built between 1622 and 1632. Since 1633, the crypt has housed the burials of the House of Habsburg, which ruled the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. It gathers about one hundred and fifty sarcophagi, including those of twelve emperors and nineteen empresses. Funerals still take place there: the last empress, Zita, was buried there in 1989, and her son Otto von Habsburg in 2011.

What there is to see

Among the sarcophagi, works of funerary art of great richness, the most remarkable are those of Maria Theresa of Austria, Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth, known as Sissi. The crypt is walked through in silence, as befits a place of memory and contemplation. It offers a moving testimony to the history and the end of the Austrian monarchy.

Practical information

The Imperial Crypt is beneath the Capuchin church, in the centre of Vienna. Access to the crypt is ticketed; hours vary by season, so it is best to check in advance. As a place of burial, silence, proper dress and a contemplative attitude are required.

Who rests in the Imperial Crypt ?

It houses the burials of the House of Habsburg, about one hundred and fifty sarcophagi, including those of twelve emperors and nineteen empresses.

Is the crypt still in use ?

Yes, funerals of family members still take place there; Empress Zita was buried there in 1989 and Otto von Habsburg in 2011.