The Leopold Vault

Ferdinand III.

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THE FIRST EXPANSION OF THE CAPUCHIN CRYPT

With his commission to expand the crypt donated by Anna (N°1) and Matthias (N°2), Emperor Ferdinand III. (N°27) laid the foundation stone for the Habsburg family burial place at the Capuchin monastery.
After his successor Leopold I. (N°37) came to power, work began in 1657 on the expansion of the Leopold Crypt, which is located directly beneath the nave of the church. The sacristan of the Imperial Chapel reported in a submission dated April 24, 1700, “that the Imperial Crypt must be enlarged so that the two coffins of Maria Eleonora, who died in 1697, and Maria Anna, who died in 1691, can be buried there” - „daß die Kayl. Krufft auf dass die zwey Sarch Maria Eleonorens gest. 1697 und Maria Annas gest. 1691 könen beygesetzt werden, zu erweidern höchstens vonöthen.“

In 1701, the complex was expanded once again to the west, extending into what is now the Karlsgruft. On April 11, 1701, the court chamber instructed the payment office to make the “6,500 florins allocated for the expansion of the imperial crypts and the manufacture of two coffins available to the building office” - „zu Erweutherung der kayl. Grufften und zu verfertigung Zweyer Sarchen angewiesenen 6.500 fl. an das Bau-Amt flüßig zu machen.“

The Architecture

A barrel-vaulted passageway leads from the Angel Vault to the Leopold Vault. The high Baroque room extends from west to east under the main nave of the church. Four massive pillars with square bases divide it into three naves, creating a hall-like effect. On the walls and corners, the cross vault rests on pilasters with richly profiled bases and imposts. The vault is broken up by circular stucco decorations. The Leopold Crypt tapers towards the west and leads through a barrel vault to the flat-vaulted Charles Crypt.

the Sarcophagus

In the middle of the east wall is a heart urn epitaph for the heart of the Queen of Portugal, Maria Anna (N°9), who died in 1754, the daughter of Leopold I. The work is by Balthazar Ferdinand Moll.

In addition to the children's coffins and the heart urn epitaph, the Leopold Crypt houses a heart urn of Empress Claudia Felicitas (N°24) and 16 other sarcophagi.

THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE SARCOPHAGI

Initially, the principle was to place the coffins of female persons on the north side (epistle side) and those of men on the south side (gospel side). The first floor plan by Herrgott Gerbert still shows this arrangement, which was overturned by the placement of the coffin of  Josephs I. (N°35) on the north side and that of Empress Eleonora Magdalena (N°32) on the south side next to her husband Leopold I.

In older photos of the Leopold Crypt, the holes for the former grille are still visible in the stone floor.

OVERVIEW OF THE LEOPOLD Vault

Builder/Donor: Emperor Ferdinand III.

Architectural style: High Baroque

Sarcophagi:

• N°3 Anna Maria Sophia (1674), Columbarium (niche)
• N°4 Ferdinand Joseph (1657-1658), Columbarium
• N°5 Ferdinand Wenzel (1667-1668), Columbarium
• N°6  Johann Leopold (1670), Columbarium
• N°7 Maria Anna (1672), Columbarium
• N°8 Maria Josepha (1675-1676), Columbarium
• N°9 Maria Anna of Austria (1683-1754), Queen, eart urn, daughter of Leopold I., wife of John V, King of Portugal; her body rests in Lisbon
• N°10 Maria Margareta (1690-1691), Columbarium
• N°11 Maximilian Thomas (1638-1639), Columbarium
• N°12 Philip August (1637-1639), Columbarium
• N°13 Christine (1679), Columbarium
• N°14 Theresia Maria (1652-1653), Columbarium
• N°15 Unnamed son (1686), Columbarium
• N°16 Maria Josepha (1687-1703), daughter of Leopold I.
• N°17 Maria Anna Josepha (1654-1691), daughter of Ferdinands III.
• N°18 Eleonora Maria (1653-1697), daughter of Ferdinands III., wife of Michael, King of Poland, and, after his death, Carolus V, Duke of Lorraine
• N°19 Eleonora Gonzaga (1630-1686), Empress, third wife of Ferdinand III.
• N°20 Margarita Teresa (1651-1673), Empress, first wife of Leopold I.
• N°21 Maria Leopoldina of Austria-Tyrol (1632-1649), Empress, second wife of Ferdinand III.
• N°22 Maria Anna of Spain (1606-1646), Empress, first wife of Ferdinand III, is buried together with her daughter Maria
• N°23 Maria Amalia (1724-1730), sister of Maria Theresias
• N°24 Claudia Felicitas of Tyrol (1653-1676), Empress, heart urn, second wife of Leopold I.
• N°25 Maria Theresia (1684-1696), daughter of Leopolds I.
• N°26 Leopold Joseph (1682-1684), son of  Leopolds I.
• N°27 Ferdinand III. (1608-1657), Emperor
• N°28 Maria Antonia (1669-1682), also known as Margarita Antonia, daughter of Leopold I.
• N°29 Ferdinand IV. (1633-1654), King of Rome, son of Ferdinand III.
• N°30 Leopold Johann (1716), only son of Charls VI.
• N°31 Maria Magdalena (1689-1743)
• N°32 Eleonora Magdalena Palatinate-Neuburg (1655-1720), Empress, third wife of Leopold I, grandmother of Maria Theresa