Lost souls of artists and actors rest here. Welcome to Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård. This graveyard tells Frederiksberg’s story through its gravestones. It also shares the history of burial traditions across time.
Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård was established in 1734. It sits alongside Frederiksberg Allé and Pile Allé. The graveyard provides a peaceful space. It holds many beautiful grave monuments. These monuments honor artists, actors and politicians. Directors and everyday citizens of Frederiksberg are also remembered here.
Our tour begins with a peek inside the church. Then we will view graves of the prominent and the less known. You will see a mausoleum. It has a skylight and a bell for the gravedigger. Those buried here believed they would awaken as reincarnations. They thought it would happen soon after death. The bell has not rung yet.
Many cultural figures are buried at Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård. Most of them had ties to Frederiksberg. They often lived here. Names like Jonas Collin and Adam Oehlenschläger are here. Knud Lyhne Rahbek and Kamma Rahbek are also interred here. You will find the Price family, Robert Storm Petersen and Lorry Feilberg. Carl Johan Sonning and Niels Kjærbølling rest here too. Kjærbølling founded the Copenhagen Zoo. Francesco Cristofoli and Johan Møsting are also at Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård. Møsting is of Møstings Hus fame. Niels Henrik Volkersen was the first Pierrot. Hans Hartvig Seedorf and other cultural icons are here.
Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård offers a glimpse into Danish cultural history. It spans the 1800s and 1900s. The oldest part of the current layout dates back to 1732. Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård has expanded several times since then. Unlike many Danish graveyards owned by local churches, this one belongs to the municipality.
We conclude with a somber note. We remember the accidental bombing of the French school. It stood just beyond the graveyard wall. Some victims of this tragedy are buried here. Frederiksberg Ældre Kirkegård stands as a testament to life. It reflects art and loss.