{"id":4226,"date":"2016-10-19T07:19:44","date_gmt":"2016-10-19T06:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=4226"},"modified":"2025-01-14T18:50:00","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T17:50:00","slug":"schuberts-grave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/schuberts-grave\/","title":{"rendered":"Schubert&#8217;s grave"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/schubert_sterbehaus_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"Sterbehaus plaque\" class=\"wp-image-4275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/schubert_sterbehaus_thumb.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/schubert_sterbehaus_thumb-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If we&#8217;re &#8220;lucky&#8221;, we get a burial and a grave. Franz Schubert got three burials and two graves&#8230;an act almost as impressive as his body of work. There&#8217;s a rather banal explanation, however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Originally buried next to Beethoven<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moved to the main Zentralfriedhof cemetery in 1888<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Now among a group of famous composer graves<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/concerts-opera-vienna-tickets-l206741\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Schubert\" rel=\"sponsored\">concert experience<\/a>* for Vienna<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/schubert-in-vienna\/\">Schubert locations in Vienna<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/zentralfriedhof\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"301\">The Zentralfriedhof<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Schubert&#8217;s death and burial<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/schubertdeath.jpg\" alt=\"Schubert Sterbewohnung\" class=\"wp-image-45203\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/schubertdeath.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/schubertdeath-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The house Schubert died in at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/schuberts-sterbewohnung\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4270\">Kettenbr\u00fcckengasse 6<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Franz Schubert died from typhoid fever on November 19th, 1828 at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/schuberts-sterbewohnung\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4270\">his brother&#8217;s home<\/a>. Or perhaps it was late-stage syphilis. Or maybe it was a result of overzealous treatment with mercury for the latter condition. Nobody seems too sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schubert had helped carry the coffin at Beethoven&#8217;s burial; just a year later, and the young composer was himself laid to rest on November 21st in the same cemetery (W\u00e4hringer Ortsfriedhof), a mere yard or two away from his great inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given Schubert&#8217;s young age (just 31), one newspaper wrote of his passing (my translation):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Our grief is further deepened by the conviction that he would have left us with even more beautiful and substantial works had he been able to live among us for longer.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/schubertbeethovengraves.jpg\" alt=\"Set of four graves in the W\u00e4hringer cemetery that include Beethoven and Schubert\" class=\"wp-image-67171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/schubertbeethovengraves.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/schubertbeethovengraves-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Photograph of the W\u00e4hringer cemetery by August Stauda from around 1904 that includes the original graves of Beethoven (far left) und Schubert (far right) before they moved to the Zentralfriedhof; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 29573\/6; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was burial number one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schubert stayed there until 1863, when they dug up his body, put it in a more robust zinc coffin, then returned him into the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was burial number two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The W\u00e4hringer Ortsfriedhof closed in 1873 and would eventually become a park: the rather aptly-named Schubertpark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the meantime, the Viennese authorities built the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/zentralfriedhof\/\">Zentralfriedhof<\/a>, a giant cemetery somewhat away from the city centre (even though the German name translates to &#8220;central cemetery&#8221;).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/schubertgrave.jpg\" alt=\"Schubert's grave\" class=\"wp-image-46657\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/schubertgrave.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/schubertgrave-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Schubert&#8217;s grave at the Zentralfriedhof)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new cemetery proved a bit of a dud with the public, which is one reason the city decided to put in some &#8220;honorary graves&#8221; to boost the location&#8217;s attractiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, in 1888, out came the shovels to relocate Schubert to grave 28, group 32A at the Zentralfriedhof: burial number three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I believe the headstone was a joint effort between Carl Kundmann and Theophil Hansen, who also teamed up on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/schubert-statue\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4215\">Schubert monument<\/a> in Vienna&#8217;s Stadtpark city park, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schubert shares the location with numerous other musical luminaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/beethovens-grave\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"103\">Beethoven<\/a> resides at grave 29 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/johann-strauss-grave\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5683\">Johann Strauss II<\/a> at grave 27, for example. The same area also provides a last home for other members of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/johann-strauss-grave\/\">Strauss<\/a> family, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/footsteps\/brahms-grave\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"32076\">Brahms<\/a>, Lanner, and Christoph Willibald Gluck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have to wonder what glorious ghostly music courses through the cemetery after dark.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/schubertheadstone.jpg\" alt=\"Schubert's headstone\" class=\"wp-image-49261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/schubertheadstone.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/schubertheadstone-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(Schubert&#8217;s headstone)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to find Schubert&#8217;s grave<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Zentralfriedhof cemetery is huge, but the composer section is easy to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enter at the main entrance (Tor 2) and simply continue straight ahead and through the arcade; Schubert and colleagues reside just beyond, on the left. A board by the roadside provides a detailed map of both the cemetery and the 32A group, including the location of the graves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For directions to the Zentralfriedhof itself, see the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/sights\/zentralfriedhof\/\">main cemetery article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Address: Zentralfriedhof, Simmeringer Hauptstra\u00dfe 234, 1110 Vienna<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=1R9uU3lwawlnzkfdkQ56UCrHz5y4\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If we&#8217;re &#8220;lucky&#8221;, we get a burial and a grave. Franz Schubert got three burials and two graves&#8230;an act almost as impressive as his body of work. There&#8217;s a rather banal explanation, however. Schubert&#8217;s death and burial (The house Schubert died in at Kettenbr\u00fcckengasse 6) Franz Schubert died from typhoid fever on November 19th, 1828 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4275,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4226","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-footsteps","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4226"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79303,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4226\/revisions\/79303"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}