The Dark Side of Vienna: 28 Morbid Experiences

Behind the magnificent facades of Vienna lies a morbid culture where death is celebrated like nowhere else. In this article, we invite you to discover 28 creepy and fascinating experiences that will take you into the creepy and beautiful world of morbid Vienna. From dark corners to historic cemeteries, Vienna has many places that are both frightening and attractive. Discover the hidden treasures and forgotten places that bring the dark chapters of Vienna’s history to life, and be enchanted by the eerie beauty of the Austrian capital.

1. Central Cemetery: Visit Europe’s second largest cemetery where famous people like Beethoven, Schubert and Falco are buried. Be mesmerised by the peaceful atmosphere and impressive tombs as you explore the endless alleyways.
2. Try lying in a coffin: As part of Vienna’s Long Night of Cemeteries, the Vienna Cemetery opens its doors to the public. Visitors have the opportunity to try lying in a coffin.
3. Vienna Funeral Museum: Immerse yourself in the history of Viennese funeral culture and learn more about the tradition of “beautiful corpses”. See historic coffins, mourning garments and funeral vehicles that tell the story of a bygone era.
4. Josephinum: Marvel at the wax anatomical models in the Josephinum, which were made in the 18th century for the medical education of students. The detailed models are both fascinating and eerie.
5. The Narrenturm: Visit the Narrenturm, Europe’s oldest psychiatric hospital, which now houses the Pathological Anatomical Federal Museum. Discover the history of psychiatry and the medical curiosities on display.
6. The Crime Museum: Immerse yourself in Vienna’s criminal history and learn about some of the city’s most notorious crimes. From murder to theft, the Crime Museum explores the dark side of Vienna’s history. The museum has gruesome exhibits such as the skeleton of “Vienna’s most beautiful murderess” and gruesome crime scene photos.
7. The Crypt of the Capuchin Church: Visit the Imperial Crypt, the final resting place of many Habsburg rulers. In the crypt you can see the remains of Sissi, Empress Maria Theresa and her husband Franz Stephan of Lorraine, surrounded by the morbid splendour of this vault.
8. Vienna Torture Museum: Explore the Torture Museum and discover the history of executions and torture methods used in Vienna in the 18th and 19th centuries. A dark journey into the past of Viennese justice.
9. The Cemetery of the Nameless: Take a walk through the Cemetery of the Nameless, where many unknown people who drowned in the Danube are buried. The simple gravestones and the melancholic atmosphere of this place are both moving and fascinating.
10. Night tour of the Vienna Central Cemetery: After dark and when all day visitors have left, there’s the opportunity to join an organised night tour of the cemetery. More information here.
11. Spinnerin am Kreuz: Visit the landmark “Spinnerin am Kreuz“, a Gothic stone pillar surrounded by legends and ghost stories. The column was used as a place of execution in the Middle Ages and is now a reminder of Vienna’s dark past.
12. Michaeler Crypt: Located beneath the Michaeler Church in Vienna, this crypt served as a burial place for all social classes between 1560 and 1784. The crypt is particularly famous for its mummies, which have been preserved by the climate in the crypt.
13. Otto Wagner Hospital: During the Nazi regime, the Otto Wagner Hospital was a place of cruelty where patients were forcibly sterilised and deported to extermination centres.
14. Hotel Metropol Memorial Room: During the Second World War, Vienna’s Hotel Metropol served as the Gestapo headquarters. Prisoners were interrogated and tortured here. The damaged building was demolished after the war. The memorial room in the Leopold-Figl-Hof, which stands today on the site of the demolished hotel, commemorates the victims of the Nazi regime and the dark past.
15. Jewish section of the Vienna Central Cemetery: The old Jewish cemetery in Vienna’s Central Cemetery has a morbid charm, where nature and time gnaw away at graves and bones. The cemetery is home to the prominent graves of Arthur Schnitzler and Viktor Frankl. Its history dates back to 1877, when the Jewish Community bought the land and opened it in 1879. Despite anti-Semitic hostilities in the 1930s and 1940s, including desecration and expropriation, the cemetery has survived to the present day and is maintained by the Israelite Community of Vienna.
16. Saint Marx Cemetery: Known for its melancholic and atmospheric atmosphere, the historic Biedermeier cemetery of Saint Marx is the final resting place of the famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Despite his importance, Mozart was buried in an anonymous mass grave.
17. Niki Lauda’s grave in the Heiligenstädter cemetery: Three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda is buried in Vienna’s Heiligenstädter Cemetery. His simple but impressive grave attracts fans and admirers from all over the world to pay their respects to the racing legend.
18. Vienna’s Pet Cemetery: Located just a few minutes’ walk from Vienna’s Central Cemetery, Vienna’s Pet Cemetery exudes a bizarre atmosphere. It reveals much about the often close relationship between humans and animals. Tombstones with the inscription “Sorry” give the visitor an idea of the fate that befell the poor animal.
19. Simmering Crematorium: The Simmering Crematorium, also near the Central Cemetery, is surrounded by a large cemetery for urn burials only and has a very special charm.
20. Ghost rides in the Prater: For an adrenaline rush, try one of the many legendary ghost rides in Vienna’s Prater.
21. Kahlenberg and the forest cemetery: Get a great view of Vienna from the Kahlenberg and stroll through the idyllic forest cemetery, where many Viennese have found their final resting place. Especially at night or in the early morning mist, the forest creates a special atmosphere.
22. City tour of crime scenes: Take a tour around historical crime of the Danube metropolis.
23. Get your dark outfit: At the Rattlesnake Shop in Kirchengasse 3, you can dress appropriately for your dark discovery tour through Vienna.
24. Fledermaus Club: After your morbid discovery tour in Vienna, you can end the night in a dark way on Monday evenings at the Fledermaus Club.
25. Cemetery photography workshop: If you’re morbid and love photography, you can participate in a photo workshop at one of the Vienna cemeteries. You can find dates here.
26. Concerts at the cemetery: In Vienna, anything is possible. Even concerts at the cemetery. You can check for dates here.
27. Ghost tour: In addition to the classic city tours, there is also the opportunity to take a ghost tour through the spooky Vienna. You can find various tours here.
28. Aspangbahnhof Memorial: During World War II, more than 50,000 Jews were deported to the East from the Aspangbahnhof station in Vienna, where many of them died in concentration camps. Today, a memorial at this dark site commemorates the events.