St. Michael's Church

Michaelerkirche is where the Habsburgs went to pray when they didn't want to walk too far from the Hofburg Palace. Dating back to the 1200s, it's one of Vienna's oldest churches. Its white façade hides a Baroque interior that hosted the wedding of Empress Sissi and Franz Joseph I in 1854.

The Famous Crypt

The real highlight isn't on the walls; it's under your feet. The Michaeler Crypt is famous for its "natural mummies." Thanks to the specific climate and dry air, the bodies of nobles and clergy have been perfectly preserved in their painted coffins for centuries. It is a haunting, direct connection to Vienna's aristocratic past.

Artistic Heritage

Above ground, the church is a masterpiece of light and sound. The grand altar features the "Fall of the Angels" sculpture, while the pipe organ—once played by a young Joseph Haydn—remains one of the finest in the city. Sitting right on Michaelerplatz, the church remains a quiet, spiritual anchor in the heart of imperial Vienna.