Vienna sees rise in urn burials and nature graves

Urn burials, nature graves and digital memorials are gaining popularity in Vienna as funeral customs change, ORF reports. The shift comes as the city approaches the traditional period of remembrance around All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Funeral company Himmelblau says the balance between coffin burials and cremations has reversed in the past 12 years. In 2013, 62 percent of its clients chose burial in the ground; by 2025, cremations accounted for 60 percent. Across Vienna’s cemeteries, burials still make up 59 percent of interments, while urn burials have risen to 41 percent.

Himmelblau founder and shareholder Georg Haas attributed the decline in cemetery burials partly to high grave fees and inflation. A funeral can cost between 5,000 and 10,000 euros, he said. He also pointed to demand for memorial options that do not depend on relatives living near a grave.

Lisa Pernkopf, a spokesperson for Wiener Friedhöfe, the organisation responsible for Vienna’s cemeteries, said visits remain an important tradition, particularly on public holidays. All Saints’ Day and Mother’s Day are among the busiest times of the year, she said.

Nature graves include forest, tree, shrub, vine and rose-bush burials, and the range of options is growing. Himmelblau says nearly one-third of its clients now want a farewell in nature. At Wiener Friedhöfe, nature graves account for about 11 percent of urn burials, up from 6 percent in 2015. The organisation cites lower maintenance needs and a connection with nature as reasons for the growing interest.

Forest graves are by far the most popular type of nature grave at Wiener Friedhöfe, accounting for 79 percent. Tree graves, lawn graves and urn gardens are other options.

Since 2020, Wiener Friedhöfe has provided a digital grave for each of its roughly 550,000 grave plots. The service offers practical options, including extending the period of use and changing an address, as well as online memorial rooms where relatives can light candles or upload a photo of a grave. About 24,000 people currently use the service. Pernkopf said it complements in-person visits, including for relatives who live far away.

New services are also being developed using artificial intelligence. Styria-based start-up Lebensstimmen has presented personalised video eulogies created from photographs, including a pre-made AI version featuring Vienna’s cathedral priest Toni Faber. The messages are due to be offered from early 2027 in partnership with Himmelblau.

People who want to remain with their pets after death can choose a human-animal grave. Since 2018, 64 such graves have been available at Feuerhalle Simmering, a crematorium and cemetery in Vienna.