Melaten Cologne
A walk through Cologne's past
It may sound a little morbid, but the older I get, the more often I find myself walking over Cologne's centrally located cemetery – Melaten. Well, there are occasions like All Saints' Day when I visit my father's grave or that of my grandparents, but no matter what time of year, the cemetery attracts me with its peaceful vibe. Although it is located in the middle of the city, all the urban city sounds fade into the background.
Melaten was founded at the beginning of the 19th century. During the French occupation of Cologne, all funerals within the medieval city walls were banned for hygiene reasons. Instead, the site of a former “leprosarium” outside the city, which had been called “Maladen” (remember the French word for "ill"), was redeveloped for the cemetery. This led to the name “Melaten”.
I prefer to enter the cemetery from Aachener Straße (Melaten stop on line 1) and I immediately find myself immersed in a different world – under large old trees, surrounded by ancient graves, some of which are magnificent, some curious, others very sophisticated. Here rests the who's who of Cologne politicians from past decades, the 19th century philanthropists and carnival celebrities.
Explore the cemetery with respect! I personally love reading the family names and discovering little details on the gravestones. Then I remember that Cologne carnival songs often deal with life and death. You only live once. Alle Jläser huh!
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