In the neighbourhood of Kreuzberg, along the leafy street of Bergmannstrasse, you will find four interlinking parish cemeteries, which are some of the oldest and most historic burial grounds in Belin. You are able to wander through the Luisenstadt, Trinity II, Friedrichswerderscher and Jerusalem & New Church Cemeteries, by stepping through breaks in the old, dilapidated perimeter walls. In fact, it’s quite easy to forget which cemetery you are in as they all tend to merge together to create a vast 21-hectare site, which I found extremely fascinating to explore.

Within these cemeteries you are able to see beautiful examples of ivy draped family tombs, art nouveau memorials, exquisite religious carvings and magnificent mausoleums. It’s a truly unique experience to wander through the various tree lined passageways and discover the historic graves which reside here. 

Trinity Cemetery II (Dreifaltigkeitskirchhof II)

The Trinity Cemetery is the oldest of the four sites, originating in 1825 and it is the first one you enter from Bergmannstrasse. Here you will discover the graves of many great architects, writers and artists including Martin Gropius who was the famed architect of the former Decorative Arts Museum and the great uncle of the Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius. You can also find the grave of the painter Adolph Menzel who is thought to be one of the most influential German realist painters of the 19th century.

Luisenstadt Cemetery

Originating in 1831, the Luisenstadt is the largest cemetery, spanning almost half of the total area. Here you can see the chapel, which was built in 1908, the old bell tower and the resurrection angel carving in a central round leading down to the impressive mausoleum of the Löblich family. You can also find the final resting places of Gustav Stresemann, a renowned Berliner who is celebrated for winning a Nobel Peace Prize and for being the Reich Chancellor and Foreign Minister of the Weimar Republic in the 1920’s.

Friedrichswerderscher Cemetery

Inaugurated in 1844, this site covers an area of 30,800 square meters and is in sandwiched between Trinity Cemetery II and Jerusalem & New Church. It’s home to a number of fascinating art-nouveau graves and monumental mausoleums.

Jerusalem and New Church Cemetery

This is the smallest of the four cemeteries and was also the last to be created in 1852. In my opinion some of the most impressive mid-century architecture can be found in this section of the wider complex including the monument of Max Krause designed by Bruno Schmitz and Franz Metzner, which is sighted by many as one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau graves in Berlin.

The whole site is magnificent to explore and holds a peaceful silence as you walk up and down its crooked paths. In addition to the artistic monuments, you will also find a diverse range of fauna and flora with many birds, insects and wildlife calling these cemeteries home.

Tip: Tie in lunch at Strauss Café located on the cemetery grounds, which you can read more about on my next page.