Berlin is known for its culture, its history, and its atmosphere. But away from the usual tourist paths, the cemeteries in Berlin invite you on a very special journey of discovery. These often underestimated places are far more than just resting places.
They are the green lungs of the city, living history books, and impressive open-air museums that offer a unique insight into Berlin’s past. Those seeking peace and contemplation or who are interested in history and art will find incomparable experiences in Berlin’s cemeteries.
A metropolis like Berlin has countless cemeteries of every size and for almost every religious community. There are said to be more than 200 cemeteries in Berlin.
A walk through the historic cemeteries in Berlin is almost like a journey through time. Countless personalities from art, science, and politics rest here alongside generations of unknown Berliners. Their sometimes magnificent, sometimes modest tombs tell touching stories of glamour, tragedies, and the incessant change of eras.
The Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof in the heart of the city, for example, is a true pilgrimage site for lovers of German literature and fine arts. Here are the final resting places of Bertolt Brecht, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Anna Seghers, and Heinrich Mann. The Friedhof I der Jerusalems- und Neuen Kirche in Kreuzberg captivates with a multitude of historical grave monuments and is a popular subject for photographers as well as a valuable object of study for historians. The Luisenfriedhof III in Westend or the St. Matthäus Cemetery in Schöneberg also offer numerous, excellently preserved examples of bourgeois burial culture of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Beyond their historical and artistic significance, the cemeteries in Berlin are also indispensable biotopes and important refuges for urban nature. They function as green lungs in a densely populated metropolis and provide habitat for an astonishingly diverse flora and fauna.
What distinguishes Berlin from other cities is that there is no “the” cemetery here. If you look at Vienna, Milan, Prague, or Paris, for example, you will find large cemetery grounds where most residents are buried. In Berlin, there are many smaller cemeteries, all of which are very different. From the small, hidden cemetery in the forest to the very old cemetery in the middle of the city, from the military cemetery with its memorial to the Jewish cemetery, each shows a piece of Berlin’s cemetery culture and each is unique in itself.
Discover cemeteries in Berlin
We have taken a look around Berlin’s cemeteries and would like to introduce them and their history.
Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof I - famous celebrity cemetery
One of Berlin's most famous celebrity cemeteries is located on the grounds of the Dorotheenstädtische and Friedrichswerdersche Gemeinden. A tour of the Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof is almost like a walk in the park, a wonderful break from exploring Berlin.
On a hike through Berlin's Grunewald forest, we were drawn to perhaps one of the city's most idyllic cemeteries, the Grunewald-Forst cemetery, which is actually only known to Berliners as the "suicide cemetery" or "cemetery of the nameless".
There is a civil Russian Orthodox cemetery in Berlin!
In Berlin Tegel between the constantly rushing highway and industrial enterprises lies Berlin's only civil Russian Orthodox cemetery. The cemetery is owned by the Brotherhood of St. Prince Vladimir.
Small cemetery in Berlin's Westend - Luisenfriedhof II
On Königin-Elisabeth-Straße in the Westend district of Charlottenburg, a small terraced cemetery lies between the city motorway and some houses. A detour to Luisenfriedhof II is worthwhile if you want to get an insight into Berlin's burial culture.
Heerstraße Cemetery - the final resting place of many celebrities
The Heerstrasse Cemetery is located directly next to the Berlin Olympic Stadium on Trakehner Allee. Here in the district of Westend is the final resting place of numerous well-known personalities.
The Fürstenbrunner Weg cemetery is located in the Westend district of Berlin. It is two cemeteries that are connected with each other: Luisenfriedhof III and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Cemetery.
In the Klosterstraße in Berlin Mitte stands the oldest church of the reformed community of Berlin. The Parochial Church has not only an interesting nave, but also a churchyard and a crypt that should not be missed.
A total of 6 Berlin cemeteries are located on the contiguous area of the cemeteries in front of Hallesches Tor between Mehringdamm and Zossener Straße in Berlin-Kreuzberg.
The Soviet Memorial in Schönholzer Heide is rather unknown, but I find it no less impressive than the memorials in Treptow and at the Brandenburg Gate.A tip brought the memorial to my attention, so we went to Pankow to discover it.
Nestled between houses in Berlin-Mitte is an enchanted place that only reveals its history when you take a closer look. This is the site of the Old Jewish Cemetery.
A rather unknown cemetery lies on the eastern shore of Plötzensee. Rather by chance, I passed the Plötzensee cemetery in Wedding on a bicycle tour and decided to walk through the park-like grounds.
Our tour through Berlin led us to the Soviet Memorial in the Tiergarten, which is located directly on the Straße des 17.Juni, less than 300 meters from the Reichstag.
I love to discover Berlin. Unfortunately, one often takes far too little time for his hometown and in addition Berlin is not exactly small. Since you are often with the public transport, especially from my home district Spandau, quickly times an hour on the road until you reach the desired destination. The Treptower Park is…
