Alter Südfriedhof, Historical cemetery in Munich, Germany

Alter Südfriedhof is a cemetery in Munich that spreads across a large area filled with thick vegetation, stone sculptures, and intricately designed burial monuments. The grounds contain a diverse collection of graves and memorials in various styles, distributed throughout the landscape.

Duke Albrecht V founded the cemetery in 1563 as a plague burial ground outside the Sendlinger Gate. In 1705–06 mass graves here received 682 victims of the Sendlinger Murder Christmas. From 1788 to 1868 it was Munich's sole general burial ground, after Elector Karl Theodor banned burials inside the city walls in 1789. Its mortuary and arcades were built 1818–1821 by Gustav Vorherr with garden architect Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell.

The cemetery holds graves of notable Munich residents, including architect Karl von Fischer and physicist Josef von Fraunhofer, whose monuments reflect how the city honors its important figures across time.

The cemetery is freely accessible during daylight hours and located in the southern part of Munich. Well-maintained paths run throughout the grounds, allowing visitors to explore the monuments and graves at a leisurely pace.

The cemetery's bronze memorial to the 1705 Sendlinger Mordweihnacht was cast from a 234 kg cannon donated by King Ludwig I; the metal was melted down into a slender, sixteen-sided basin. It was unveiled on All Saints' Day 1831 before a large crowd.