Imperial Crypt
The last resting-place of the monarchs - the Imperial Burial Vault
Imperial VaultThe mortal remains of the Habsburg emperors rest under the Church of the Capuchin. Visit the magnificent crypt of kings and emperors and immerse yourself in the Habsburgs' past.
The members of the Austrian dynasty have found their last resting-place in the Imperial Burial Vault, also called The Capuchin Vault. The Crypt has been in use since 1633. Altogether 146 aristocrats lie buried here. Twelve emperors and nineteen empresses and queens have come to rest here in the course of the centuries. Emperor Franz Joseph I. was the last monarch to be entombed in the Crypt in 1916. During a visit to the Imperial Burial Vault, you can admire the resplendent coffin of Maria Theresia and her husband. It was made by Balthasar Ferdinand Molls in 1754. The sculptor was active in Maria Theresia's court. The monumental last resting place created by him is more than two metres long and three metres wide. Examine the artistic reliefs on the sides of the sarcophagus which depict the lives of the ruling couple. Both have been immortalized for posterity in life-size figures on the lid. Learn interesting details about the burial rituals of the Habsburgs. Bodies, viscera and hearts were buried separately, for example - this was provided for in the funeral ceremony. In the Church of the Augustinian Friars, a special vault exists for the hearts. Besides the historical aspects, Karl's Vault is also remarkable artistic in addition to the crypt of Maria Theresia. The graceful rococo period style will certainly fascinate you. The Imperial Burial Vault offers an impressive insight into the Emperors' attempts to immortalize themselves and to be remembered for posterity in a spectacular way. The great rulers succeeded in the Capuchin Vault without a doubt.
