Melaten-Friedhof, Cemetery and architectural heritage monument in Lindenthal, Germany.
Melaten Cemetery is a burial ground and protected architectural monument in the Lindenthal district of Cologne, covering roughly 107 acres (43 hectares). The grounds contain more than 55000 graves with monuments reflecting Classical, Gothic, Baroque, Art Nouveau, and Modern styles arranged along tree-lined paths and between mature plantings.
A leper hospital stood on this site from the 13th century until its closure in the 1700s, caring for those excluded from the city. Following Napoleon's ban on urban burials, the land was converted into a public cemetery in 1810 and quickly became the most important burial place in Cologne.
The cemetery displays numerous artistic tombs and mausoleums of notable German figures, including performers Dirk Bach and Willi Herren, and architect Wilhelm Riphahn.
Several entrances along Aachener Strasse lead through 19th-century gate structures into the grounds, where main paths and narrow side trails cross one another. Regular guided tours offer insight into monument art and the natural landscape; some sections lie off the main routes and require longer walks.
Around forty bird species find habitat in the different zones of the cemetery, including types that have become rare in the inner city. Between the rows of graves grow plane trees, lindens, and rose bushes that bloom in spring and summer, lending the place an almost parklike appearance.
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