St. Stephen's Cathedral Catacombs, Underground burial site at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, Austria
St. Stephen's Cathedral Catacombs are limestone tunnels and chambers that extend beneath the cathedral in Vienna. These underground burial spaces feature various tomb styles, vaults, and structural elements built and used across several centuries.
The catacombs developed gradually from medieval times as a burial site beneath the expanding cathedral. During the 1735 plague outbreak in Vienna, thousands of bodies were placed here in emergency conditions, transforming the scale and use of these chambers.
The catacombs show how people were once separated by social rank even in death, with distinct areas for clergy, wealthy families, and common folk. Walking through these sections, visitors can observe how space was organized according to status.
Tours depart regularly from a side entrance of the cathedral and require a reasonable level of mobility to navigate the narrow passages. Comfortable footwear is recommended as the pathways can be uneven and the underground environment is cool year-round.
The ducal crypt holds approximately 60 copper containers with preserved internal organs from Habsburg family members, including those of Empress Maria Theresa. This unusual burial practice remains largely unnoticed by visitors despite occupying its own section within the catacombs.
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