Vienna Central Cemetery: Famous Graves, Getting There and Tips for Your Visit

Vienna Central Cemetery (Zentralfriedhof) is more than a cemetery: it's a huge park with Art Nouveau architecture, graves ranging from Beethoven to Falco, and wildlife among the headstones. Around three million people of all faiths are buried on roughly 2.5 square kilometers, more than Vienna has inhabitants today. Admission is free. Here's how to get there, where to find the famous graves and what to keep in mind.

Getting There and Opening Hours

The easiest way is to take tram 11 or 71 to the stop "Zentralfriedhof 2. Tor" at the main entrance. Alternatively, take the U3 to Simmering and change to the 11 there.

• March and October 1 to November 2: 07:00–18:00
• April to September: 07:00–19:00, from May to August until 20:00 on Thursdays
• November 3 to the end of February: 08:00–17:00

The side gates open up to an hour later and close earlier than the main entrance.

Finding Your Way: The Gates

• Gate 2, the main entrance: Almost every visit starts here. The Art Nouveau portal by Max Hegele dates from 1905. At the gate you'll find the info point with a cemetery map, the café, the cemetery shop and the starting point of the e-bus. From here the main avenue leads to the graves of honor and the church.
• Gate 1: the old Jewish section, in use from 1879, with the graves of Arthur Schnitzler and Friedrich Torberg.
• Gate 3: a side entrance. Nearby is the "Park der Ruhe und Kraft" (Park of Peace and Strength, Group 23), laid out according to geomancy, with benches and stepping stones.

A tip for getting your bearings: the graves are numbered by groups, which you'll find on the map at Gate 2. With the group and the number, you can find any grave.

The Graves of Honor

There are around 1,000 graves of honor at the Zentralfriedhof. The best known are on either side of the main avenue between Gate 2 and the church. The groups according to the official list from Friedhöfe Wien, the city's cemetery authority:

Group 32A: The Composers

Here, side by side, lie Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms and Johann Strauss (the Younger), along with Johann Strauss (the Elder), Christoph Willibald Gluck, Joseph Lanner and Hugo Wolf. For Mozart there is only a memorial here; he is buried in St. Marx Cemetery.

Groups 32C and 33G

• 32C: Arnold Schönberg, Curd Jürgens, Robert Stolz, Bruno Kreisky and Helmut Zilk.
• 33G: Udo Jürgens (his urn sits in a white marble grand piano), Hedy Lamarr, Helmut Qualtinger, Joe Zawinul and Maria Lassnig.

Falco and Others

• Falco (Hans Hölzel) lies in Group 40. From Gate 2, walk along the main avenue toward the church and turn left at the traffic circle.
• Antonio Salieri and Adolf Loos lie in Group 0, the physicist Ludwig Boltzmann in Group 14C.

The Cemetery Church and the Presidential Crypt

At the end of the main avenue stands the Cemetery Church of St. Charles Borromeo (Friedhofskirche zum heiligen Karl Borromäus), also by Max Hegele, consecrated in 1911 and one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau churches in Vienna. The dome is 39 meters high inside, and instead of numerals the clocks show the words "Tempus fugit." Mayor Karl Lueger is buried in the lower church.

Directly in front of the church is the Presidential Crypt, the final resting place of Austria's federal presidents since 1945, from Karl Renner to Thomas Klestil.

The church is open from March to November 2, 08:00–16:30, and until 15:30 in winter.

The Funeral Museum

In the basement of Ceremonial Hall 2, about 100 meters from the main entrance, is the Funeral Museum (Bestattungsmuseum). On 300 square meters, it shows how Vienna deals with death. Exhibits include a folding coffin from 1784, from the time of Joseph II, a hearse from around 1900 and the "Rettungswecker," a rescue alarm meant to ease the fear of being buried alive.

• Open Wednesday to Friday, 10:00–16:00
• Admission €9, children under 6 free
• With a guided tour €18, on selected Saturdays, tickets online only

Getting Around the Cemetery

The Zentralfriedhof is big: walking from Gate 2 to Falco's grave and back takes a while. You have several options:

• E-bus: The circular line starts at Gate 2 from 10:00 and serves 19 stops every 30 minutes. A ride costs €1.20; with a valid Vienna public transport ticket, you ride at no extra charge.
• Bike: Cycling is allowed. You can rent e-bikes at Gate 2; the first hour costs €5.
• Fiaker: From April to October, Fiaker (horse-drawn carriages) leave from Gate 2: €70 for about 30 minutes.
• Guided tour: Friedhöfe Wien offers two-hour guided tours in German, for example to the graves of honor, adults €24, advance registration only. An audio guide is available as a web app in 20 languages.

What to Keep in Mind

• Dogs are not allowed, except for assistance dogs.
• Quiet and respect: Funerals take place here every day. Don't step on other people's graves and don't touch headstones.
• Photography: Be discreet and don't photograph private graves. Commercial photo and film shoots require a permit from Friedhöfe Wien.
• Wildlife: Deer, European hamsters, squirrels and kestrels live in the cemetery. Feeding them is prohibited.

All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day

On November 1 and 2, especially large numbers of people visit the graves of their loved ones. The cemetery is then open at its regular hours of 07:00–18:00. On November 1 no cars are allowed in, and the e-bus does not run. Last year, tram 11 started running from about 07:00 on All Saints' Day, and both lines ran more frequently during the day. There's a market near the cemetery around All Saints' Day; last year it ran from October 25 to November 2. The Funeral Museum is open on November 1 from 10:00 to 18:00.

If you want to experience the cemetery in peace, it's better to come on a different day.

You'll find more special places off the beaten path in our article Hidden Gems in Vienna.

As of October 2026. Sources: friedhoefewien.at (including the list of graves of honor, as of September 2026), bestattungsmuseum.at, wien.info, wien.gv.at. Opening hours and prices change, so check them on the Friedhöfe Wien website before your visit.