Trauerhalle Friedhof Altenburg
THE ABANDONED CEMETERY IN GERMANY
This ‘Trauerhalle Friedhof Altenburg’ is the mourning hall of the Altenburger Friedhof. It was built in 1895 and was used until 1930 when a new crematory complex was built.
The cemetery is one of the oldest still in use, in Germany. Citizens have been resting here for around 500 years. Over the years, the site has expanded and now covers around 15 hectares. In addition to the mourning hall, there is also the small cemetery chapel.
The mourning hall is part of a neo-Gothic building ensemble that has three pieces. It was built during the year 1895 by construction company Frenzel and designed by city architect Elberling. The center of the axially symmetrical complex is the chapel. The three buildings are connected by arcades. The entire building complex was made of sandstone from the Posta quarries, located near Pirna on the Elbe.
The cemetery has been in use since 1529. The extensive area has a park-like character. In addition to the very old trees, there are numerous historical graves, such as those of the statesman and patron of the arts Bernhard August von Lindenau and the painter Gerhard Altenbourg.
Lack of use made halls forgotten, so they very quickly fell into disrepair. Today, the former mortuary halls are in urgent need of restoration. However, the chapel is still used today for church funerals. I visited the ‘Trauerhalle Friedhof Altenburg’ halls during my visit in 2018. Follow this link for more dark tourism.
