“Another one?” you might ask. Yes, another fascinating layer of Frankfurt’s history unfolds here at Parkfriedhof Heiligenstock. This isn’t just a final resting place. It’s a park cemetery. It offers a unique blend of nature and remembrance.
Parkfriedhof Heiligenstock is located in the northeast of Frankfurt. It lies on the northern edge of the Heiligenstock plateau. The cemetery borders Bad Vilbel. It serves as a tranquil contrast to the city.
Designed as a park cemetery, its 17.38 hectares mimic a natural forest. Oaks and hornbeams dominate the landscape. This design provides a peaceful setting for reflection.
The most striking feature is the modern cemetery hall. It features a domed roof. A four-meter diameter skylight illuminates the space. Professor Max Bächer from Darmstadt designed the hall and chapel. The dome is clad in pre-weathered blue-gray zinc. Completed in the early 1990s, the cemetery offers open views of the Taunus mountains.
Parkfriedhof Heiligenstock was created to relieve the Frankfurt Main Cemetery. Since 1996, it has accommodated both Christian and Islamic burials. The cemetery has separate burial grounds. There is no Christian cross inside the cupola hall. An optical illusion creates a cross when the entrance door closes. A dedicated space exists for the Islamic ritual washing of the deceased. Muslims are buried facing Mecca.
The burial traditions of Christianity and Islam are distinct. This is evident in the different grave fields. The origins of Muslim burials vary widely. Their cultures influence the design of the gravestones. Sections 8 and 10 are reserved for Muslim burials. More Muslims are choosing to be buried here. Many still prefer burial in their home countries.
Before becoming Parkfriedhof Heiligenstock in 1989, the area had a different purpose. From 1926 to 1967, it housed the Heiligenstock radio transmitter. Next to it was the DENA transmitter of the German news agency from 1947. The area was a military restricted zone. This was during World War II and the US occupation. Relics of the old transmitter, replaced in 1967, can still be seen.
From 1929 to 1935, a concentration camp for Sinti and Roma existed nearby. It was near the cemetery on Berkersheim territory. Even during the Weimar Republic, it was called a concentration camp. The Frankfurt city council decided to establish it on December 6, 1928. The camp confined those living in caravans in Frankfurt. The remote location encouraged them to leave. They could cross the Prussian-Hessian border toward Bad Vilbel. The former Free City of Frankfurt belonged to the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau. Bad Vilbel belonged to the province of Upper Hesse. The Nazis later established a forced labor camp in Fechenheim. It was later replaced by one in Seckbach.
Walter Hesselbach is buried here. He was a banker and social politician. He was a member of the Frankfurt City Council. He was chairman of the German-Israeli Economic Association.
Parkfriedhof Heiligenstock lies close to the city boundary. The larger southern part is in Seckbach. The smaller northern part is in Berkersheim. A corner of the cemetery touches Bad Vilbel. The Heiligenstockweg and Friedberger Landstrasse border the cemetery.
To get here, take the Friedberger Landstrasse toward Bad Vilbel. Follow the signs to Bad Vilbel-Heilsberg. Bus line 30 stops at Parkfriedhof.
Parkfriedhof Heiligenstock offers more than just a place of rest. It connects history, culture, and nature.