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Hauptfriedhof Mainz

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Hauptfriedhof Mainz
Crematory
Map
Details
Established1803; 221 years ago (1803)
Location
CountryGermany
Coordinates49°59′40.542″N 8°14′58.852″E / 49.99459500°N 8.24968111°E / 49.99459500; 8.24968111
TypePublic
Size22 hectares (54 acres)

The Hauptfriedhof is the main cemetery of Mainz, the capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was established in 1803 when Mainz was under French administration. It became the model for the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris. It is the burial place of prominent persons, also the Deutscher Ehrenhof honorary graves. The cemetery is a cultural heritage site and prominent urban green space.

History

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When Mainz was under French administration, cemeteries became rare due to the closing of church institutions. A new Christian cemetery was established in 1803 when Jeanbon St. André was the French préfet of the department of Mont-Tonnerre (Donnersberg).[1][2][3]

Initiated by the mayor, Franz Konrad Macké [de], it was placed in the Zahlbach valley on former monastery grounds in 1803. It had been a burial site in Roman times. Later, some bishops of Mainz were buried there including Aureus of Mainz.[3] The cemetery became the model for the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris.[4]

The Hauptfriedhof was first a square ground of about eleven morgen that was expanded several times. It has now an area of 22 hektar,[5] roughly in 75 "fields" in the central part, 14 in the urn grove across Saarstraße. The paths form a grid, with the main paths lined by trees. The cemetery contains old trees and other plants, and is regarded as quality urban green space of Mainz.

Monuments

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Portal grave near the old crematory

The Hauptfriedhof contains historic graves and monuments, interesting for historians and art historians. There are graves for single people, families, and also groups, including victims of wars, French soldiers,[3][6] and Deutscher Ehrenhof honorary graves.[7] The cemetery features two Gruftenstraßen (grave roads) with high monuments of important Mainzer families. The oldest gravestone dates to 1805. 230 gravestones and monuments are listed historic monuments.[3]

Graves of notable people

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The Hauptfriedhof holds the grabes of important Main personalities: scientists, industrialists, musicians, writers, politiciana and people of the Mainz carnival.[3]

Burials include:

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References

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  1. ^ Décret Impérial sur les sépultures, le 23 Prairial an XII. In: Bulletin des lois de l'Empire Français. 4e Série, Tome premier no. 1 à 16, Paris, Brumaire an XIII [1804], p. 75.
  2. ^ "Mehr als "nur" eine Begräbnisstätte / Der Mainzer Hauptfriedhof". Mainz (in German). 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Orte in Mainz, die sich wie Ausland anfühlen". merkurist.de (in German). 31 October 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  4. ^ Keinath, Ralf (31 October 2021). "Orte in Mainz, die sich wie Ausland anfühlen". merkurist.de (in German). Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  5. ^ Hauptfriedhof-Kurzportrait (in German) Mainz
  6. ^ "Kriegerdenkmäler in Mainz". rheinland-pfalz.volksbund.de (in German). 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  7. ^ Deutsch-fanzösische Geschichte auf dem Aureus (in German) Mainz

Further reading

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