If you’ve already visited Vienna’s must-see sites like Schönbrunn Palace, the City Hall, and the Hofburg Palace, and have been to the major museums like the Natural History Museum, the Art History Museum, or the Albertina Gallery, you should consider a visit to the city’s Central Cemetery. You can even take an enjoyable horse-drawn carriage tour through its heart. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know before visiting the Vienna Central Cemetery.
The Story of the Central Cemetery
Unlike the ancient cemeteries scattered throughout Vienna that were built and expanded over long periods, the Vienna Central Cemetery was planned from the outset to be the largest in the city. It was established between 1863 and 1874, a period when Vienna was undergoing a construction and development boom and its population exceeded one million. Emperor Franz Joseph I believed the city’s population would continue to grow steadily, reaching up to 4 million by the end of the 20th century, and that the smaller cemeteries would not be sufficient for such a number of residents.
The cemetery was inaugurated in 1874 and was located in a remote field area, outside the city limits (now the 11th district of Vienna). The cemetery permitted the burial of people of all faiths—Christians, Jews, and Muslims—which drew harsh criticism from the Catholic Church. The criticism intensified when a separate Jewish section was built within the cemetery grounds, financed by the city.
As part of the cemetery complex, a crematorium and a large Art Nouveau-style church were also built. The burial chamber of the presidents of the Austrian Republic is located within this church.
Today, about 25 funerals are held daily at the Central Cemetery.
A Cemetery for All Faiths
From its earliest days, the Central Cemetery served as a burial place for all religions. In addition to the Catholic section, there is also a Protestant, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist section, among others.
In fact, there were initially two Jewish cemeteries at the Central Cemetery, but the older of the two, built in 1863, was destroyed by the Nazis during the Kristallnacht pogrom. Members of the Rothschild family and the famous author Arthur Schnitzler are buried in this section. About 60,000 Jewish graves remain in the old cemetery.
The second Jewish cemetery was established in 1917 and is still used for the burial of Viennese Jews today.
The Cemetery as a Popular Attraction
In its early years of operation, the cemetery was quite deserted and unpopular among the city’s residents due to its distance from the city. To make the place more popular, the city council decided to place honorary graves for important figures who had lived in the city.
The majority of the important figures whose honorary graves are in the cemetery are famous composers and musicians: Beethoven, Schubert, Johann Strauss, Brahms, Mozart, and more.
Many tourists come to the cemetery to see these graves, and over the years, as Vienna grew and its public transportation improved and expanded to every corner of the city, the cemetery became a popular and accessible attraction.
The Funeral Museum at the Central Cemetery
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The modern museum, which opened in 2014, presents the world of Viennese burial customs. In this museum, you can learn interesting facts about the Viennese funeral service, the funeral industry, and the general history of Vienna’s cemeteries. The museum’s exhibition includes about 250 items from previous centuries that provide a glimpse into the world of burial and the beliefs of Vienna’s residents regarding funerals and burials.
The exhibition is interactive and includes rare videos, such as a film of Emperor Franz Joseph’s funeral in 1916. You can also listen to the most popular songs played at funerals today.
Carriage Tours in Vienna’s Central Cemetery
If you want to combine a Viennese experience of riding in a horse-drawn carriage, you can do so at the Central Cemetery. Every day from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, carriage tours depart from Gate 2 of the cemetery. This tour passes by the graves of famous composers, talented architects, and more. Additionally, you can enjoy the nature surrounding the gravesites.
- The short tour (30 minutes) costs €65 per carriage for 4 passengers.
- The long tour (60 minutes) costs €99 per carriage for 4 people.
The short tour is often sufficient. You can book the tour in advance by calling +43 699 18154022.
If you prefer to take a carriage tour in the old city center, you can read all about it in our comprehensive article on the coachmen and ancient carriages in the heart of Vienna.
Essential Information for Visiting the Central Cemetery
Visiting Hours:
- November – February: Monday to Sunday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- March: Monday to Sunday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- April: Monday to Sunday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- May – August: Monday to Sunday from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- September: Monday to Sunday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- October: Monday to Sunday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Admission is free.
Official Website
How to Get to the Central Cemetery?
You can take tram number 71 from Karlsplatz, which will take you directly to Gate 2 of the cemetery. The journey takes about half an hour.
Another option is to take the U3 subway line (the orange line) southeast to its final stop, called Simmering. From there, you will need to take tram number 6 to Gate 2 of the cemetery.
Address:
Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, 1110 Wien
