Martinifriedhof (Braunschweig)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
View of the Martinifriedhof
Grave of Johann Anton Leisewitz

The Martinifriedhof in the western ring area in Braunschweig is a historic cemetery that was laid out in 1712. Today it serves as a public park . The complex, which is protected as an architectural monument, still has a small number of gravestones and is the final resting place of well-known personalities. The former cemetery of the Martini community is surrounded by a fence and is located on Goslarschen Strasse between Kreuzstrasse and Hohestieg.

history

The Martinifriedhof is one of several cemeteries that were laid out along Goslarschen Strasse. Including the Petri cemetery . The Goslarsche Straße is an old street that already existed in the Middle Ages and was built outside and west of the Braunschweig city fortifications in a north-south direction. It connected the two trade routes that led to Celle and Kassel and Frankfurt. Part of it is now called Juliusstrasse. It is also in close proximity to the medieval churches in the old town of Braunschweig, which began to move their cemeteries from the city center in front of the city gates in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The members of the parish of St. Martini were once buried directly at the Martinikirche around the Paulskapelle. In place of this cemetery, the square "At the Martini Church" was created. The new cemetery was laid out in 1712. Another cemetery was located at the Hohe Tor and was handed over to the Heilig-Geist-Spital in 1756. In 1716 the cemetery was expanded, and in 1767 neighboring properties were bought from the Great Orphanage for an extension .

With the inauguration of the Braunschweig central cemetery on October 1, 1887, the old decentralized cemeteries were no longer needed and gradually closed. The last burial in the Martinifriedhof took place in 1909. The former cemetery was converted into a public green area in 1937 at the suggestion of citizens. The rights of rest have expired. A part of the cemetery area was built on with public buildings.

From the 1960s on, squares were built and parts of the cemetery were paved. The use as a green area accessible from several sides led to damage to the existing structure and to vandalism.

In 2009 the green area was completely renovated. An attempt was made to restore the original character of the cemetery and to design it as an attractive park. There is no historical occupancy plan, which means that the original division of the grave fields can no longer be traced. However, the still existing grave facilities were highlighted in terms of design. The asphalt surfaces and some bollards and benches have been removed, walkways have been reduced and cross-connections removed. Young wild trees were removed and ground cover and low shrubs were planted. The green area was enclosed with a fence. The old cemetery gate on Goslarschen Strasse was designed as the central entrance. The gate, the pillars and sandstone walls were renovated. A circular path was created to develop the green area.

The city of Braunschweig, the Richard Borek Foundation and the Ev.-luth contributed to the costs of the renovation . Church association Braunschweig together. On July 22nd, 2009, Mayor Gert Hoffmann ceremoniously handed over the renovated facility to the public again.

Grave sites (selection)

literature

Web links

Commons : Martinifriedhof  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 52 ° 15 ′ 45 ″  N , 10 ° 30 ′ 23 ″  E