Zentralfriedhof - The Central Cemetery of Vienna

           The Zentralfriedhof is the Central Cemetery of Vienna. It is one of the largest cemeteries in the world, largest by number of interred in Europe and most famous cemetery among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries. It is situated on the outskirts of the city, in the district of Simmering (Simmeringer Hauptstraße 230–244, Vienna 1110, Austria). The giant cemetery spans to an area of about 2.4 square kilometres (590 acres). It accommodates over 330.000 graves. The cemetery was designed in 1870, according to the plans of the Frankfurt landscape architects Karl Jonas Mylius and Alfred Friedrich Bluntschli. The cemetery was opened on All Saints' Day in 1874.

                   Zentralfriedhof has a dead population of almost twice the present living residents of Vienna. In its early incarnations, it was so unpopular due to the distance from the city center that the authorities had to think of ways to make it more attractive – hence the development of the Ehrengräber or honorary graves as a kind of tourist attraction. Vienna is a city of music since time immemorial, and the municipality expressed gratitude to composers by granting them monumental tombs. The notable tombs found here are those of Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Antonio Salieri, Johann Strauss II and Arnold Schoenberg. A cenotaph honours Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who is buried in nearby St. Marx Cemetery.

 

Schubert's tomb!

Brahms' tomb!

Beethoven's tomb

Mozart's memorial!

 The church in the centre of the cemetery is named Karl-Borromäus-Kirche (Charles Borromeo Church), but is also known as Dr. Karl-Lueger-Gedächtniskirche (Karl Lueger Memorial Church). This church in Art Nouveau style was built in 1908–1910 by Max Hegele.

                              We were lucky enough to strike poses near few of the massive tombs!

Interestingly the Zentralfriedhof is interdenominational with not only the Catholic and Protestant but also the Jewish, Muslim, Russian orthodox,  Greek Orthodox,  Romanian Orthodox,  Bulgarian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox Churches and even Buddhist cemeteries. Among the Viennese, a popular euphemism for a death is that the deceased person "has taken the 71" ("Er hat den 71er genommen"). Oopsies.... Apparenty "Tram 71" was the one most used by us during the trip!!!