Alter Friedhof, Cultural heritage cemetery in Heilbronn, Germany
Alter Friedhof is a former burial ground on Weinsberger Straße that spans about 3.6 hectares and now functions as a public park. Over 200 historical graves and stone monuments from different periods stand on the grounds, telling the story of centuries of city history.
Founded in 1530 as a municipal Protestant burial ground, it replaced the closed Kilianskirchhof within the city walls. Its location near the Carmelites monastery shows how city expansion shaped these sacred spaces.
The cemetery holds graves of citizens who shaped Heilbronn, including physicist Robert Mayer and several mayors. Walking through, you can read their names on the stones and learn about the people who influenced the city's development.
The site is open to the public as a park with well-maintained pathways for comfortable walks through the grounds. A playground and preserved historical monuments from several centuries invite you to explore.
During World War II, the graves sheltered collections from the Robert Mayer Museum, which were lost in a bombing raid in December 1944. This lesser-known story connects the place to Heilbronn's wartime experience.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
