Experience the famous Lipizzaner horses in the royal ambience of the Imperial Palace.
© WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud
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Coming from the center of the city, you pass Gate 1, which leads to the old Jewish section, a field of graves with many remarkable monuments. Among others, Arthur Schnitzler and Friedrich Torberg are interred in Group 6. Continuing along the wall, you reach the main entrance (Gate 2), an Art Nouveau structure built by Max Hegele in 1905.
Through this main gate, you walk on the main path toward the "Friedhofskirche zum heiligen Karl Borromäus" (Church of St. Borromeo), which is crowned by a large dome. The church, built by Hegele between 1908 and 1910, serves as the cemetery church and mausoleum of Lueger, the mayor of the city from 1897 to 1910. Both to the left (Groups 32a and 14a) and to the right (Groups 32c and 14c) of this main roadway is the Grave of Honor, probably the largest such arrangement of special honorary tombs in the world.
Among many others, Gluck, Beethoven, Schubert, Hugo Wolf, Johann Strauss Father and Son, Lanner and Brahms are buried in Group 32a, Bruno Kreisky, Austrian Federal Chancellor from 1970 to 1983, Arnold Schönberg and Robert Stolz in Group 32c.
Directly in front of the Memorial Church is the mausoleum in which the Austrian presidents who have died since 1945 (Renner, Körner, Schärf, Jonas) are interred. Mozart was given an honorary monument in Group 32a, but his actual grave is in an unknown location at the Cemetery of St. Marx.
Across Simmeringer Hauptstrasse from the main gate is the Crematorium, built by Clemens Holzmeister in 1922 in the style of an oriental fortress. Further along the wall of the cemetery, you reach Gate 3, a secondary entrance and entrance to the Protestant section; and Gate 4, the access to the new Jewish section which has been in use since 1928.
A detailed map of the Central Cemetery and its Grave of Honor can be bought from the cemetery guard at Gate 2.
Audio-Picture-Guide available at Gate 2 (lending fee: € 7.00)
Secret tip: Since the spring of 2012, carriage rides have also been possible at the Central Cemetery: the carriage rank at gate 2 is occupied daily from 10.00 am to about 7.00 pm. The tour includes numerous memorial graves of prominent Viennese personalities (Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Hans Moser, Falco, Adolf Loos and many others), and also brings visitors closer to the cemetery's natural attractions. The short tour (30 min.) costs €40.00, the long one (60 min.) €70.00 per carriage (for 4 people). Tours are operated from the beginning of April to the end of September. Reservations can be made from Monday to Wednesday by calling +43-(0)699-181 540 22. Information: www.vienna-carriage.com
Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234
1110 Wien
www.friedhoefewien.at
Guide dogs permitted
Restrooms with access for disabled persons available.
Honorary tombs: Main Entrance (2nd Gate, access by car possible on the blue paths), free with ID. Wheelchair-accessible restroom accessible with "Euro-Key" near Hall 3, in the cemetery church and at the cemetery office (ramp), gravel paths.
tram 6, 71: Zentralfriedhof
Memorial Church:
March - Oct: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Nov-Feb: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.