Grabmal Kaiser Friedrichs III, Imperial tomb in St. Stephen's Cathedral, Austria.

The tomb of Emperor Frederick III stands in the Apostles' choir of St. Stephen's Cathedral, a gilded structure on a low reddish stone plinth. Above a tiered arcade of gilded arches with small figures sits the sarcophagus, its sloped top edged with crockets and its sides openwork. The lid, carved from red-flecked Adnet marble by Niclas Gerhaert van Leyden, shows the emperor in coronation robes, orb in his right hand and long sceptre in his left.

Sculptor Niclas Gerhaert van Leyden began work on the tomb in 1468, yet the emperor's remains did not arrive at their final resting place until 1513. This lengthy gap between the start of construction and the actual burial was not unusual for such significant imperial monuments.

The sides of the tomb are divided into tiers holding 240 small statues. Below the lid, small figures of mourning monks pray for the emperor's soul, while his good works and endowments are shown so that they may speak for him at the Last Judgment. On the base, creatures and skulls depict decay and death being overcome.

The tomb stands in the Apostles' choir, enclosed by a stone balustrade; steps at its rear lead up to a platform from which the more than two-metre-high lid can be viewed. The cathedral is open to visitors, and the monument is reached on foot within the church.

The sarcophagus lid bears the mysterious letter sequence AEIOU alongside the emperor figure, a meaning that scholars continue to debate. This cryptic personal emblem of the emperor appeared in other locations throughout his realm.