Once a cemetery, now a vibrant park. That’s the story of Dortmund’s Westpark. It’s a green oasis in the city’s heart.
Westpark began in 1811. It served as the Westentotenhof. This meant a cemetery outside the city walls. Dortmund was much smaller back then. Only about 4,000 people lived here.
Fast forward a century. Dortmund’s population exploded. It grew due to industrial development. The existing cemeteries became insufficient. Westentotenhof was one of them.
In 1912, city officials decided on a solution. They created a new main cemetery in Brackel. They also decided to transform the old cemeteries. The Westentotenhof would become a park. This addressed the lack of green spaces in the city. The area around Westpark had become largely developed by 1890.
Today, Westpark offers a peaceful retreat. It features a beautiful collection of old trees. Some old gravestones remain. They remind visitors of its past. These stones bear the names of well-known Dortmund families.
You can find a war memorial near the northern entrance. It was originally in front of the Cologne-Minden railway station. Karl Friedrich Schinkel designed it for Gerhard von Scharnhorst’s tomb. It commemorates Dortmund soldiers. They died in the Battle of K Niggr tz in 1866. The memorial’s shape resembles a sarcophagus. A sleeping lion sits on the pedestal. It symbolizes the slumbering strength of the fatherland. The names of the fallen are inscribed on the broad side.
There’s another memorial in the Westpark. It honors six victims of the French Ruhr occupation. You can also find the grave of Alexander von Mielecki. He died in 1853. He was a chief mine official and director of the Upper Mining Office in Dortmund.
The Westpark is a protected historical site. This includes its trees, the war memorial “Sleeping Lion,” and the fallen memorial from 1931. Sixteen gravestones are also protected. The war memorial’s design comes from sculptor Melchior Anton Zurstra en in 1869.
Beneath Westpark lies another story. The Gro stollenanlage Dortmund. This is Dortmund’s largest air raid shelter. It was built during the final phase of World War II.
Since 2016, a memorial at the northeastern entrance marks a former Jewish cemetery. It existed there from 1815 until its destruction during the Nazi era.
Westpark is also home to art. Janine Despaigne created various mosaic artworks in the park. One example is a large bench.
The Westpark offers various amenities. These include the Biergarten Caf Erdmann. There are also boules courts, a Finnenbahn, and the BierCaf West. You will find playgrounds and a dance floor. There are also public toilets. The Tierschutzverein Gro Dortmund e.V. maintains a fenced dog run.
Westpark is a popular spot. Students, musicians, and media people gather here. It’s close to the Kreuzviertel, Unionviertel, and Althoffblock. This draws a young, alternative crowd. In summer, people often enjoy barbecues and parties here.
So, remember the Westpark. It is more than just a park. It’s a place of remembrance. It’s a space for recreation. It is a testament to Dortmund’s history.