The Ferdinand Vault

Maria Anna of Sardinien-Piemont

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The Ferdinand Vault, built in the late Biedermeier style by court architect Johann Höhne (1802-1886), was constructed in 1840. On January 17, 1840, the First Lord Chamberlain, Prince Colloredo Mansfeld, submitted a request to Emperor Ferdinand to remedy the recent shortage of space. On June 9, the offer from master builder Johann Höhne from Währing was approved. The crypt is located beneath the monastery, in a former cellar that was adapted for this purpose. The two end walls of the Franzensgruft had to be broken through to create the extension.

The Architecture

The Ferdinand Vault is a high, central niche room with a long rectangular floor plan. Although it soars upwards, “it still does not achieve the mystical magic of the Maria Theresa Vault.” On the long walls to the right and left, the protruding wall pillars create a spatial division into niches. An architrave cornice breaks up the compact heaviness of the wall. A semicircular window in the northern shield arch allows light to enter the light gray and white room, while hanging spandrels lead to the flat ceiling. On the west side, the central niche has been redesigned as an arcade passageway to the Toskana Vault.

The Sarcophaguses

In addition to the two magnificent sarcophaguses of Emperor Ferdinands I. (N°62) and his wife Empress Maria Anna (N°63), there are 37 other coffins here.

In 1962, minor renovations were carried out. The niches were bricked up to create final resting places for 37 deceased members of the ruling family. The sarcophagi of the deceased are not visible to visitors, but their names can be read on four marble plaques on the walls.

On the north wall of the Ferdinand Vault there was once a large bronze monument, erected in 1899 by Hungarian women in memory of Empress Elisabeth (N°143), who was murdered in 1898. This now stands in the crypt chapel.

Overview of the Ferdinand Vault

Builder/Donor: Emperor Ferdinand I.

Architect: Johann Höhne

Architectural style: Late Biedermeier

Sarcophagi:

• N°62 Ferdinand I. (1793-1875), Emperor, son of Franz II. (I.)
• N°63 Maria Anna of Sardinia-Piemont (1803-1884), Empress
• N°64A Alexander Leopold (1772-1795)
• N°65A Maria Amalia (1780-1798)
• N°66A Louise Elisabeth (1790-1791)
• N°67A Maria Eleonore (1864)
• N°68A Franz Joseph (1855)
• N°69A Joseph Franz (1799-1807)
• N°70A Leopold (1823-1898)
• N°71A Johann Nepomuk Karl (1805-1809)
• N°72A Robert Ferdinand Salvator (1895-1895)
• N°73B Maria Antonia (1858-1883)
• N°74B Maria Anna (1835-1840)
• N°75B Maria Karolina (1821-1844)
• N°76B Ferdinand Salvator (1888-1891)
• N°77B Rainer Salvator (1880-1889)
• N°78B Sophie Friederike (1855-1857), daughter of Emperor Franz Joseph
• N°79B Karoline Ferdinanda (1793-1802)
• N°80C Natalie (1884-1898)
• N°81C Stephanie (1886-1890)
• N°82C Maria Anna (1804-1858)
• N°83C Maria Karoline (1825-1915)
• N°84C Maria Louisa of Naples-Sicily (1773-1802) and son
• N°85C Maria Antonia of Naples (1814-1898), wife of Leopold II., Tuscany, mother of Johann Orth
• N°86C Maria Anna of Saxony (1796-1865)
• N°87C Karoline Louise (1795-1799)
• N°88D Albrecht Salvator (1871-1896)
• N°89D Maria Immakulata of Sicily (1844-1899)
• N°90D Karl Salvator (1839-1892), brother of Johann Orth
• N°91D Leopold Maria Alphons (1897-1958), died in the USA, urn
• N°92D Maria Antonia (1874-1891)
• N°93D Ernst (1824-1899)
• N°94D Adelgunde of Bavaria (1823-1914)
• N°95D Karoline Leopoldine (1794-1795)
• N°96D Amalia Theresia (1807)
• N°97D Henriette Maria (1884-1886)
• N°98D Ludwig Salvator (1847-1915), brother of Johann Orth
• N°99D Maria Theresia of Portugal (1855-1944)
• N°100D Joseph Ferdinand Salvator (1872-1942)