The Herzgruft () is a burial chamber that protects 54

urn An urn is a vase, often with a cover, with a typically narrowed neck above a rounded body and a footed pedestal. Describing a vessel as an "urn", as opposed to a vase or other terms, generally reflects its use rather than any particular shape or ...

s containing the hearts of members of the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...

. The crypt is located behind the Loreto Chapel in the Augustinian Church within the

Hofburg Palace The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Located in the centre of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn ...

complex in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, Austria. The first heart, belonging to King Ferdinand IV, was placed in the Augustinian Church on 10 July 1654, according to his wishes. The last heart, belonging to

Archduke Franz Karl of Austria Archduke Franz Karl Joseph of Austria (17 December 1802 – 8 March 1878) was a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. He was the father of two emperors: Franz Joseph I of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico. Through his third son Karl Lu ...

, was placed in the crypt on 8 March 1878. The bodies of all but three of the hearts are in the

Imperial Crypt The Imperial Crypt (german: Kaisergruft), also called the Capuchin Crypt (''Kapuzinergruft''), is a burial chamber beneath the Capuchin Church and monastery in Vienna, Austria. It was founded in 1618 and dedicated in 1632, and located on the Neu ...

a few blocks away.

History

King Ferdinand IV instructed that his heart would be interred at the foot of the Holy Mother in the Augustinian Church in Vienna. Following the death of the king on 9 July 1654, the corpse was embalmed and the heart was placed in a goblet and displayed on the death bed. The next day, around 9:00 pm, the heart was transferred to the Loreto Chapel and buried at the foot of the Madonna in a simple celebration. With this simple act of piety, a custom was started to bury the hearts of all members of the

in the crypt alongside the heart of King Ferdinand IV. By 1878, 54 hearts had been brought to this simple crypt.

Crypt

Upper row

In the upper row, arranged in sequence of death date (from left to right): * Daughter of Ferdinand II, Duke of Tyrol and wife of her cousin Emperor Matthias. Buried in tomb 1 in the Imperial Crypt. * Third son of Emperor Maximilian II. Husband of Empress Anna. Buried in tomb 2 in the Imperial Crypt. * Eldest son of Archduke Charles II of Styria. Buried in th
Grazer Dom

Graz Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...

. * Eldest son of Emperor Ferdinand III. Founder of this Herzgruft. Buried in tomb 29 in the Imperial Crypt. * Son of Emperor Ferdinand II. Named at age 13 to take over his uncle Leopold's renounced see of Halberstaedt (when he became 22, this was confirmed by the Pope) and later became also

Bishop of Olomouc The following is a list of diocesan bishops and archbishops of Olomouc. Not much is known about the beginnings of the Diocese of Olomouc. It was reestablished in 1063 and in 1777 it was elevated to an archdiocese. Bishops of Olomouc *''89 ...

Bishop of Breslau A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

, and

Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights The Grand Master of the Teutonic Order (german: Hochmeister des Deutschen Ordens; la, Magister generalis Ordo Teutonicus) is the supreme head of the Teutonic Order. It is equivalent to the grand master of other military orders and the super ...

. Buried in tomb 115 in the Imperial Crypt. * Niece, cousine and first wife of Emperor Leopold I at age 15. Buried in tomb 20 in the Imperial Crypt. * Third wife of Emperor Ferdinand III. Foundress of the

Order of the Starry Cross The Order of the Starry Cross (or Order of the Star Cross/Star Cross Order; German: ''Sternkreuz-Orden'') is an imperial Austrian dynastic order for Catholic noble ladies, founded in 1668. The order still exists under the House of Habsburg-Lorraine ...

(the Sternkreuzorden). Buried in tomb 19 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Emperor Leopold I and wife of

Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria Maximilian, Maximillian or Maximiliaan (Maximilien in French) is a male given name. The name " Max" is considered a shortening of "Maximilian" as well as of several other names. List of people Monarchs *Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1459� ...

. Buried in tomb 28 in the Imperial Crypt. * Twelve-year-old daughter of Emperor Leopold I. Buried in tomb 25 of the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Emperor Leopold I. Buried in tomb 16 in the Imperial Crypt. * Second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and father of Emperors Joseph I and Karl IV. Buried in tomb 37 in the Imperial Crypt. * Son of Emperor Leopold I. Buried in tomb 35 in the

. * Younger son of Emperor Leopold I. Buried in tomb 40 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Emperor Leopold I. Buried in tomb 38 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Emperor Karl VI. and sister of Empress Maria Theresia. Buried in tomb 39 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Prince Charles of Lorraine and Archduchess Maria Anna. Buried in tomb 47 in the Imperial Crypt. * Wife (1708) of Emperor Karl VI and mother of Empress Maria Theresa. Buried in tomb 36 in the Imperial Crypt. * Second son of Emperor Franz I Stephen and Empress Maria Theresa. Buried in tomb 44 in the Imperial Crypt. * Eighth daughter of Emperor Franz I Stephen and Empress Maria Theresa. Buried in tomb 45 in the Imperial Crypt. * Duke of Lorraine and Grand Duke of Tuscany. Husband of Empress Maria Theresa, Buried in tomb 55 in the Imperial Crypt. * Eldest surviving descendant of Emperor Karl VI, →Family Tree her ascension was contested and officially the crown of the Empire went to her husband (1736) Emperor Franz I Stephen. Buried in tomb 56 in the Imperial Crypt. * Infant first daughter of Emperor Franz II and Empress Maria Theresia Caroline. Buried in tomb 66 in the Imperial Crypt. * Third son of Empress Maria Theresia. →Family Tree Buried in tomb 113 in the Imperial Crypt. * Wife of Emperor Leopold II and mother of Emperor Franz II. Buried in tomb 114 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Emperor Franz II and Maria Theresia Caroline. Buried in tomb 95 in the Imperial Crypt. * Fourth son of Emperor Leopold II and Empress Maria Ludovika. Buried in tomb 64 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Emperor Leopold II and Empress Maria Ludovika. Buried in tomb 65 in the Imperial Crypt. * Favorite daughter of Empress Maria Theresia. and wife of Duke Albert of Teschen. The famous and moving monument he erected to her memory is in the nave of this Augustinerkirche church. Buried in tomb 112 in the Imperial Crypt. * Fourth daughter of Emperor Franz II and Maria Theresia. Buried in tomb 87 in the Imperial Crypt. * Youngest son of Empress Maria Theresia. Archbishop of Cologne. Buried in tomb 118 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Emperor Franz II and Maria Theresia. Buried in tomb 79 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Queen Maria Karolina of Naples and Sicily. First wife (1790) of

Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...

. →Family Tree Buried in tomb 84 in the Imperial Crypt.

Lower row

In the lower row, arranged in sequence of death date (from left to right): * Daughter of Empress Maria Theresia. Buried in

St. Vitus Cathedral , native_name_lang = Czech , image = St Vitus Prague September 2016-21.jpg , imagesize = 300px , imagelink = , imagealt = , landscape = , caption ...

in Prague. * Fourth son of Empress Maria Theresia. Buried in tomb 105 in the Imperial Crypt. * Second wife (1790) at age 18 of Emperor Franz II. Buried in tomb 60 in the Imperial Crypt. * Second son of Emperor Franz II and Empress Maria Theresia Carolina. Buried in tomb 69 in the Imperial Crypt. * Fourth son of Emperor Franz II and Empress Maria Theresia Carolina. Buried in tomb 71 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Empress Maria Theresia. Buried in tomb 107 in the Imperial Crypt. * Third wife (1808) at age 20 of 40-year-old cousin Emperor Franz II. Buried in tomb 58 in the Imperial Crypt. * Husband of Archduchess Maria Christina. Buried in tomb 111 in the Imperial Crypt. * Infant son of Archduke Karl. Buried in tomb 125 in the Imperial Crypt. * Son of

Napoléon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

and Empress Maria Louise (daughter of Emperor Franz II.) Buried in

Les Invalides The Hôtel des Invalides ( en, "house of invalids"), commonly called Les Invalides (), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as ...

in Paris. * Eldest son of Emperor Leopold II. →Family Tree Buried in tomb 57 in the Imperial Crypt. * Eighth son of Emperor Leopold II. Last Grand Master of the

Order of Teutonic Knights The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in ...

before Napoleon suppressed it outside of the Habsburg lands. Buried in tomb 103 in the Imperial Crypt. * Duke of Teschen, third son of Emperor Leopold II. Adopted son of his aunt Archduchess Maria Christina. and Albert of Saxony-Teschen. Buried in tomb 122 of the Imperial Crypt. * Son of Archduke Ferdinand Karl Anton. Buried in tomb 102 in the Imperial Crypt. * Infant first son of Archduke Karl Ferdinand. Buried in tomb 68 in the Imperial Crypt. * Unmarried 54-year-old daughter of Emperor Franz II and Maria Theresia Carolina. Buried in tomb 82 in the Imperial Crypt. * Wife of Archduke Albrecht. Buried in tomb 129 in the Imperial Crypt. * Eleventh son of Emperor Leopold II. Buried in tomb 104 in the Imperial Crypt. * Second wife (1821) of Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Buried in tomb 86 in the Imperial Crypt. * Daughter of Archduke Albrecht. Buried in tomb 130 in the Imperial Crypt. * Son of Emperor Franz II. Buried in tomb 62 in the Imperial Crypt. * Third son of Emperor Franz II. and father of Emperor Franz Josef. Buried in tomb 135 in the Imperial Crypt.

References

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External links