The Vienna Central Cemetery was opened in 1874 and is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe due to its 240 hectares and 330,000 graves. The many personalities who rest there as well as the art nouveau architectural achievements make it an important tourist attraction in Vienna.

In the middle of the 19th century, when the population of Vienna increased (as well as the death toll), it was noticed that the communal cemeteries in the suburbs were quickly reaching their maximum capacity. In addition, given the expansion of the city, we wanted to close these cemeteries as soon as possible to use the space. In 1863, the municipal council of Vienna decided to lay out the central cemetery very far from the city, thus giving it a very large surface area, and an almost unlimited reception capacity, even in the long term. In addition, the municipal council decided that from now on, the Catholic Church would no longer manage the cemeteries alone: this is the beginning of cemeteries managed and financed by the municipality.