Imperial Crypt Vienna | Habsburg Tombs & Visitor Guide

A fascinating place we visited in Vienna is the Imperial Crypt, also known as the Capuchin Crypt. The Imperial Crypt is the burial chamber of the Habsburg monarchy and is located underneath the Capuchin Church and monastery.

We found the visit fascinating, and it was well worth visiting for a unique slant on Vienna’s history. It was definitely one of the more unique places to visit in Vienna.

Disclosure! Keep in mind that some links in these posts are affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may earn a small commission (for which I’m extremely grateful) at no extra cost to you. Thanks for visiting!

What Can You See in the Imperial Crypt?

Inside, visitors can see the elaborate and decorative sarcophagi of the ruling family. The remains of 150 members of the Habsburg family and their relatives rest in the crypt. This includes 12 emperors and 19 empresses and queens.

The crypt contains rows of metal sarcophagi ranging from relatively simple coffins to huge, heavily decorated tombs. We saw the burial sites of Franz Joseph I, Empress Elisabeth and Maria Theresia. As well as seeing the crypt, visiting was an excellent way to soak in some of the Habsburg Empire’s history.

The Vaults of the Imperial Crypt.

The Imperial Crypt is divided into nine burial vaults and a chapel, added at different points as the Habsburg family expanded. The oldest is the Founders’ Vault, while later areas include the Leopold, Charles, Maria Theresa, Francis, Ferdinand, Tuscan, New and Franz Joseph vaults.

The rooms vary noticeably in style. Some contain elaborate Baroque sarcophagi decorated with crowns, skulls and imperial symbols, while the later New Vault is much plainer and more modern. The best-known sections include the Maria Theresa Vault, with its enormous double tomb, and the Franz Joseph Vault, where Franz Joseph I, Empress Elisabeth and Crown Prince Rudolf are buried.

Famous Tombs in the Imperial Crypt

• Maria Theresa and Francis Stephen’s double sarcophagus is the centrepiece of the Maria Theresa Crypt, with reliefs depicting episodes from their lives.
• Franz Joseph’s tomb stands on a marble base beside those of Empress Elisabeth and Crown Prince Rudolf.
• Joseph II’s comparatively plain coffin provides a useful contrast with his mother’s much more elaborate monument.
• Maximilian of Mexico was Franz Joseph’s brother and was executed in Mexico in 1867. His copper coffin bears gilded decoration and the Mexican coat of arms.
• Marie Louise, Napoleon’s second wife, now rests in the New Crypt. Their son’s coffin was transferred to Paris in 1940.

Visiting the Imperial Crypt

The Imperial Crypt is located at Neuer Markt in central Vienna, a short walk from Café Mozart and the Albertina. On our visit, we just turned up and got tickets to enter straight away. You can also book in advance on the GetYourGuide website.

The Imperial Crypt was pretty quiet, enabling us to have a good look around at our own pace. We spent an hour here and found it engaging.

We visited without Henry as the Imperial Crypt doesn’t allow dogs except assistance dogs; he stayed at our dog-friendly apartment. Their website has ticket prices and tour information, and opening arrangements may change.