/5
Cologne's City of the Dead Melaten Cemetery Tour
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FREETOUR.com
Provided by:
Freewalk Cologne
Duration
2 hours
Languages
English
Meeting point
Eingang Melatenfriedhow Aachener Str./ Oskar-Jäger-Str.
From €15.00
Per person
Free Cancellation. No Booking Fees.
Cancel for free up to 24 hours. We price match.
Overview
Melaten Cemetery is not your typical tourist stop and this is not your typical guided tour. Over two hours, we’ll walk you through one of Germany’s most fascinating burial grounds: a place that has been a leper colony, a Napoleonic decree, a city within a city, and today, one of Cologne’s most beloved green spaces.
We’ll walk past the tombs of famous Kölners from industrialists to artists, from carnival legends to the family behind the original Eau de Cologne. But we won’t stop just to tell you who they were. We’ll explore what they meant to the city, how their stories shaped Cologne, and why Melaten Friedhof itself became one of the most significant spaces in the city’s history.
Along the way, you’ll discover:
- How Melaten began as a leper colony, built deliberately outside the city walls.
- How and why Napoleon changed the course of Cologne’s burial history with a single decree in 1804.
- The social history written in stone along the famous Avenue of Millions.
- The stories of the unsung, local people buried here.
- The remarkable natural life thriving inside the cemetery today.
This is Cologne’s history, told from its most unexpected corner.
We’ll walk past the tombs of famous Kölners from industrialists to artists, from carnival legends to the family behind the original Eau de Cologne. But we won’t stop just to tell you who they were. We’ll explore what they meant to the city, how their stories shaped Cologne, and why Melaten Friedhof itself became one of the most significant spaces in the city’s history.
Along the way, you’ll discover:
- How Melaten began as a leper colony, built deliberately outside the city walls.
- How and why Napoleon changed the course of Cologne’s burial history with a single decree in 1804.
- The social history written in stone along the famous Avenue of Millions.
- The stories of the unsung, local people buried here.
- The remarkable natural life thriving inside the cemetery today.
This is Cologne’s history, told from its most unexpected corner.
Tour Conditions
Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility
Pets
Pet-friendly
Read more
This activity includes:
- Friedhof Melaten, Tor II (alter Haupteingang)
- Melatenfriedhof
- Kolumbarium
- Sankt Maria Magdalena und Lazarus
- Local, passionate guide
- Passionate storytelling
- Recommendations for your stay in Cologne
On arrival
You can arrive by tram number 1 or 7 to Köln Melaten. From the tram stop there is only a few minutes walk to the starting point.
Things to note
Make sure to wear weather-appropriate clothing as the weather changes quickly in Cologne. Prepare to be outdoors most of the tour and wear comfortable shoes for the Old Town's cobbled streets.
Cancellation policy
Free Cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Late cancellation or your non-arrival is not refundable.
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