Culture Vienna 1

The amount of tours given here is almost as numerous as at Maria Theresa’s burial place. Book very early.

Culture Vienna 1

Historically, as funeral processions made its way through the city center in the evening, flickering candles cast an orange light through the streets. The Habsburgers originally created these orchestrations; later the middle class imitated them. The State Opera House choir sang at funerals and the bodies were staged for a souvenir photo.

Escapism Vienna 1

The last burial took place in 1940 (although a cross with the year 1953 can be found). Since then, the unknown dead from the Danube river have been buried in the Central Cemetery. But they’re not forgotten: Every year after All Saints’ Day the nameless drowned corpses at the cemetery are remembered with a float of flowers and wreaths.

Culture Vienna 1

After a spate of casualties at the turn of the 20th century in the new profession of electrical workers, physician, Stefan Jellinek, began to research accident sites. He documented and collected material until he received the first professorship in Electropathology in 1929. After his forced emigration and a multi-decade-long odyssey with the collection, it was transferred to the Technical Museum in 2002. Because the wet specimens are presently located in the Pathology-Anatomy Museum in the Narrenturm, special tours are offered there.

Escapism Vienna 1

This legendary ’50s song says it all: Kriminaltango, in der Taverne. Dunkle Gestalten..Und rotes Licht.
Roughly translated: “Criminal tango in the tavern…dark figures…and red light.”

Culture Vienna 1

These catacombs came about at a time when burial industries were so over-occupied that tons of bodies were unceremoniously dumped onto a slide leading directly to the catacombs. In the 19th century, brave monks and criminals were handed the unsavory task of cleaning up the premises. All this to say: never say that there is no job worse than yours.

Culture Vienna 1

The Church of St. Ruprecht is generally considered to be the oldest church in Vienna, although recent excavation underneath the Peterskirche and the Stephansdom have brought up a dispute about the facticity of this claim. What is known is… read more

Culture Vienna 2

You’ll want to visit the magnificent sarcophagus of Samson Wertheimer, who was buried here in 1724.

Escapism Vienna 2

Tucked away behind the cemetery walls lies a veritable gem of the Biedermeier period. Founded in 1784 under Emperor Josef II, Währinger Friedhof is one of Vienna’s oldest Jewish cemeteries.

Escapism Vienna 7

While Vienna of the living was about to burst at the seams, a second city for the dead emerged on the outskirts with a central square, city walls, districts, boulevards, and a main street.
We are referring to the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery), half the size of Zurich and twice as much fun. Serious! With 2.5 million square meters, three million dead, up to 40 burials daily, 20 nursery operations, three tram stops, a train station and its own bus system, the Jugendstil church “Zum Heiligen Karl Borromäus”, a baby cemetery, and one of the few Buddhist cemeteries outside of Asia, no wonder it is worth a visit from the living, too.
Among the numerous Ehrengräber (honorary graves) lie Johann Strauss, father and son as well as Brahms, Nestroy, Beethoven, Bruno Kreisky, Arnold Schönberg, Curd Jürgens and Helmut Qualtinger, who once said: “You first have to die in Vienna before you are celebrated, but then you live for a long time.” That applies to Sisi and Falco as well. To reach the Zentralfriedhof in proper style, take the “Widow Express”, otherwise known as tramline 71.