When temperatures climb in Vienna in the spring , most people head straight for the large parks or the nearest outdoor café. In doing so, many overlook a 60,000-square-meter area in the heart of the 3rd district that is just now beginning to transform into a vast, wild garden by summer—the St. Marx Cemetery.
The St. Marx Cemetery on Leberstraße is no longer a traditional place of mourning. Rather , it is a completely overgrown piece of Biedermeier history that becomes almost invisible in April and May under a dense blanket of purple and white lilacs . So much lies hidden beneath the colorful blossoms.
The star is the grounds themselves. Wild ivy winds its way between the nearly 8,000 gravestones, some of which are heavily weathered. The paths are often nothing more than narrow trails, and on both sides, shrubs have completely overtaken the old wrought-iron crosses. It is a search for traces through long-forgotten paths.
Unlike the wide, magnificent avenues at Vienna’s other cemeteries, it’s rarely packed here. You can slip away to one of the hidden benches and simply read or reflect in peace, letting the nature around you work its magic while half the grounds bloom and scent the air. It’s not just people who feel at home here, but also small residents that, with a bit of luck, you might catch a glimpse of scurrying by from time to time. These are little field hamsters that have made themselves at home here among the old gravestones and dense bushes. They are strictly protected.
Where the lilacs grow thickest and no one disturbs
If you’re looking for an absolute explosion of blossoms, turn immediately after the entrance onto the small, winding side paths in the eastern section. While some tourists mill about on the central path near Mozart, you’ll often have the old rows of graves along the outer wall almost entirely to yourselves.
The contrast between the gray, crooked stones and the bright lilac makes for a striking motif if you enjoy photography. Pack a book or grab a coffee to go.
The St. Marx Cemetery is open to the public from sunrise to sunset. The best way to get there is to take tram line 71 to the St. Marx stop and walk the last few meters up Leberstraße.
