Imperial Crypt, Vienna

Just beneath Vienna鈥檚 bustling New Market square鈥攔ight next to the Hofburg Palace and well within ghost-whispering distance of history鈥攜ou鈥檒l find the Imperial Crypt, also known as the Capuchin Crypt. Sounds mysterious? Oh, it is indeed. This underground vault has been hosting the who鈥檚-who of the Habsburg dynasty since 1633, and let's just say... the guest list is pretty exclusive.

The idea for this eternal VIP lounge came from Anna of Tyrol, wife of Emperor Matthias. In a rather poetic twist, she signed off on the funds in her will in 1617 and died a year later, followed promptly by her husband. Talk about a couple with a plan...

Formally consecrated in 1632, the crypt now holds 145 Habsburgs, including 12 emperors and 18 empresses. And for those who preferred a more minimalist approach to eternal rest, there are also heart urns鈥攂ecause why be buried once when you can be distributed like royalty?

Inside, you鈥檒l find 107 ornate metal sarcophagi ranging from 鈥渕odestly morbid鈥� to 鈥渞ococo realness.鈥� It鈥檚 part cemetery, part sculpture gallery, and part history lesson with a Gothic flourish.

Come to think of it, this isn鈥檛 just a tomb. It鈥檚 the final chapter of an empire written in bronze and baroque. It鈥檚 where Vienna whispers her imperial secrets. And let鈥檚 be honest鈥攚hat鈥檚 a trip to Vienna without a little royal drama from six feet under?

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Vienna. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 黑料吃瓜网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Imperial Crypt
Sight Location: Vienna, Austria (See walking tours in Vienna)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Vienna Old Town Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Vienna, Austria

Create Your Own Walk in Vienna

Creating your own self-guided walk in Vienna is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Johann Strauss Walking Tour

Throughout the entire 19th century, Vienna was a hub of cultural and musical activity, particularly in the realm of classical music, to which Johann Strauss and his father, Johann Strauss Sr., contributed greatly.

Strauss, the son had a personal connection with Vienna deeply rooted in its cultural fabric. Not only was he born here and spent most of his life, but also he achieved tremendous... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles

Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour I

Vienna鈥檚 flirtation with Art Nouveau鈥攌nown locally as Jugendstil鈥攗nfolded in the late 19th, early 20th centuries. The so-called Vienna Secession movement, which emerged in 1897, was led by a group of rebellious artists and architects like Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt, and Koloman Moser, who turned their backs on historicism in favor of bold, modern aesthetics. As the new language for buildings,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Vienna's Art Nouveau Architecture Tour II

If there are cities that flirt, Vienna is definitely the one. Here, even the buildings know how to do it.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the Austrian capital caught the Art Nouveau fever and decided that straight lines, drab walls, and historical imitation simply wouldn鈥檛 do anymore. Instead, it took to ornamental swirls, flowing curves, floral flourishes, and enough decorative detail... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles

Old Town Churches Walking Tour

"Vienna is the city of miracles and music" 鈥� Whoever said that must have emphasized Vienna's close association with the Christian faith. The intertwining of Christian heritage and artistry in the Austrian capital finds expression primarily in its magnificent churches.

Sitting at "the crossroads of Christian traditions", Vienna is home to various Christian... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles

Vienna's Historical Music Venues

Austria is synonymous with classical music almost to the point of obsession, and to call Vienna the "Musical Capital of the World" would be hardly an exaggeration. Indeed, over the past centuries, the city served as the home and workplace for many great musicians like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Strauss, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, and others.

Among the... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles

Vienna Introduction Walking Tour

A city of green parks, opulent architecture, elegant shopping, crowded theaters, and boulevards for leisurely sauntering 鈥� Vienna, the capital of Austria, embodies a blend of regal tradition and contemporary vibrancy. The origin of the city's name is rooted in Roman times, stemming from the Celtic word Vedunia, meaning 鈥渇orest stream鈥�, which later evolved into Vindobona, a Roman... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles

View all walking tours in Vienna, Austria

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

7 Ultimately Austrian Foods to Taste in Vienna

Once the center of the vast Hapsburg Empire, stretched from France in the West to Russia in the East, Austria has embraced many ethnic influences in its cuisine over the course of centuries. Many of the country's distinctive dishes reflect its multinational heritage. Coffee culture, for...

Top 15 Austrian Things to Buy in Vienna

Vienna stool, Viennese schnitzel, Viennese waltz, Vienna sausage, Viennese apple strudel... There's so much Vienna to it, that you might think you've heard it all. Luckily, chances are that you haven't and there's much more in store left to be discovered about this fascinating...