Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Midas Tümülüsü (Tumulus MM)
The Devil's Column
Weightlifting Hall of Fame
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
2 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
3 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
4 days ago
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
5 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Austria Vienna Herzgruft 'Heart Crypt'
AO Edited

Herzgruft 'Heart Crypt'

The hearts of 54 Habsburg royals received special burials here separate from their bodies.

Vienna, Austria

Added By
cdanesh
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Gugerell / CC-Zero
  Gugerell / CC-Zero
The Loreto Chapel   Gugerell / CC0 1.0 Universal
  CC0 1.0
The Augustinian Church   Bede735c / CC0 1.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

While the Habsburg emperors of Austria and their families are buried at the Imperial Crypt, several blocks away, their hearts have been peculiarly placed separately here at the "Heart Crypt," behind the Loreto Chapel within the Augustinian Church.

Also known as Augustinerkirche, the Augustinian Church formerly served as the parish church of the imperial court at Hofburg. The Loreto Chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, was reserved for the Habsburgs' personal use. Empresses and princesses prayed there for children; services were held here before weddings and after births. Flags and other possessions taken in battle were also placed here in honor of Our Lady of Loreto. 

Throughout history, the organs of royal members have been dissected and placed separately in their coffins so that their bodies may be embalmed. However, the tradition of placing royal hearts in urns here dates back to King Ferdinand IV of the Romans, heir to the Holy Roman Empire, who was a devotee of Our Lady of Loreto.

Ferdinand IV stipulated in his will that his heart would be buried under the feet of the Loreto Chapel's statue of Our Lady. In 1654, he suddenly died of smallpox at the age of 20. His heart was dissected and displayed next to his body while lying in state. It was then placed in a small chamber below the chapel's altar, according to his wishes. Ferdinand's brother, who would become Leopold I, followed this precedent of distributing remains. Since then, many royals have had their hearts buried here or at the Ducal Crypt in St. Stephen's Cathedral.

In 1784, the Augustinian Church was rebuilt in the Gothic style, involving the relocation and rebuilding of the Loreto Chapel. However, the new Herzgruft—a burial chamber—behind the chapel was not built until 1802. Meanwhile, the heart urns remained in a sealed box.

The practice of separate burial of organs continued until Archduke Franz Karl died in 1878. It stopped in the 1870s because formaldehyde made removing organs unnecessary for embalment. 

In total, 54 Habsburgs, including nine emperors, had their hearts buried in individually unique, usually silver urns. This includes three before Ferdinand IV, whose hearts were moved here in the 18th century. All but three family members have their bodies in the Imperial Crypt.

One of those not buried there is Prince Napoleon II of France, whose mother was a Habsburg and is distinguished by a French tricolor ribbon. 

 

Related Tags

Churches Crypts Burial Places Hearts

Know Before You Go

The crypt only opens on Sundays after the Augustine Church's 11 a.m. mass.

Community Contributors

Added By

cdanesh

Published

April 23, 2025

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Herzgruft 'Heart Crypt'
3 Augustinerstraße
Vienna, 1010
Austria
48.205325, 16.368055
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Ungarisches Haus (Hungarian House)

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Memorial Against War and Fascism

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Vienna

Vienna

Austria

Places 66
Stories 7

Nearby Places

Ungarisches Haus (Hungarian House)

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Memorial Against War and Fascism

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

Vienna, Austria

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Vienna

Vienna

Austria

Places 66
Stories 7

Related Places

  • The Crypt

    Lastingham, England

    Crypt of the Church of St. Mary

    Thought to be the oldest Norman crypt in the world.

  • The collégiale Sainte Gertrude.

    Nivelles, Belgium

    Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude

    The patron saint of cats founded this stunning Romanesque church in the 7th century.

  • Mexico City, Mexico

    Eagle Cuauhxicalli

    This avian-shaped stone that once held the hearts of Aztec human sacrifices now lies at the feet of Christ inside a Catholic church.

  • Iglesia El Rosario

    San Salvador, El Salvador

    Iglesia El Rosario

    Padre Delgado, a leader in the fight for Salvadoran independence, is buried in this stunning Brutalist cathedral.

  • Sarcophagus of Chrodoara

    Amay, Belgium

    Sarcophagus of Chrodoara

    Since its accidental discovery in 1977, this sarcophagus has been described as "the greatest masterpiece of Merovingian sculpture north of the Alps."

  • Bonorva, Italy

    Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu

    A Nuragic tomb, a Roman tomb, and a Byzantine Church, all hidden inside a rock.

  • Milan, Italy

    Crypt of San Sepolcro

    Saint Borromeo often prayed in this austere crypt during the 16th century.

  • Crypt at Se Cathedral

    Velha Goa, India

    Crypt at Se Cathedral

    A mysterious burial crypt that was rediscovered inside a cathedral in Velha Goa.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.