Description of the attraction
The Capuchin Monastery is the name of the Church and Monastery of the Capuchin Order in Vienna, located near the Hofburg Imperial Palace. The church is famous for the imperial tomb - the final resting place for members of the Habsburg dynasty.
The Capuchin Monastery was founded in 1617 by Empress Anna, wife of Emperor Matthias (1557-1619). The first stone of the church was laid on September 8, 1622. Due to the Thirty Years War, the construction of the church was delayed, the work was completed in 1632.
The new church with a pointed façade stood out from the surrounding houses. Over the years, the church has undergone many changes, the most striking is the porch, added in 1760. In the years 1934-1936, the façade was reconstructed and decorated with a fresco by Hans Fischer.
The family crypt is located under the Capuchin church. The tomb contains the remains of 10 emperors, 15 empresses and other members of the imperial family. There are 138 burials in the crypt. The only burial that has nothing to do with the Habsburg family is the remains of Countess Caroline, who served as Empress Maria Theresa's governess and was her favorite. The tomb is missing two imperial burials: Ferdinand II and Charles I, who is buried in Madeira. It is worth mentioning that the hearts of the Habsburg family were kept in the Augustinian church, and the insides of the bodies were kept in St. Stephen's Cathedral.
