Key Facts at a Glance

Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg is the world’s largest park cemetery; it is also a significant cultural monument, a popular local recreation area, and the final resting place of numerous notable figures. Spanning an impressive area of ​​nearly 400 hectares, it combines masterful landscape design, imposing funerary architecture, and diverse natural surroundings to create a unique place of peace and remembrance in the heart of the Hanseatic city.

Dimensions and the Park Cemetery Concept

Inaugurated in 1877, the cemetery was conceived from the outset as a revolutionary alternative to the bleak, overcrowded churchyards of the city center. Landscape architects Wilhelm Cordes and Otto Wilkens designed the grounds as an expansive landscape park, modeled on English styles. Winding paths, gentle hills, picturesque ponds, and a valuable stock of mature trees define its character. With over 280 hectares of woodland and parkland, miles of tree-lined avenues, and dozens of ponds, the cemetery today serves not only as a place of commemoration but also as a “green lung” and a habitat for diverse flora and fauna.

Funerary Architecture and Art Amidst Nature

Ohlsdorf Cemetery reflects over 140 years of cemetery and burial culture. Visitors will find:

• Graves of Prominent Figures: Numerous well-known personalities from politics, business, academia, art, and culture have found their final resting place here. These include actors, musicians, politicians, and iconic Hamburg figures (such as Loki and Helmut Schmidt, Hans Albers, Richard Ohnsorg, and Ida Ehre).
• Historic Mausoleums and Sculptures: Many burial sites are true works of art, created by renowned sculptors and architects. Artistic angels, mourning statues, and elaborately designed mausoleums line the pathways.
• Memorials: The cemetery is also home to significant historical memorials and war graves commemorating the victims of war and tyranny, including the memorial grove dedicated to Hamburg resistance fighters.

Unique Infrastructure: A Cemetery with Its Own Bus Line

Due to its vast size, Ohlsdorf Cemetery features its own HVV bus line (Line 170) with several stops located directly on the grounds. This allows visitors and mourners to conveniently reach even remote gravesites or the large chapel complexes. In addition, there is a well-developed road network for cars, as well as shaded paths that are highly popular with walkers and nature enthusiasts.

The Ohlsdorf Cemetery Museum (Opened in 2011)

To make the site’s rich history, landscape architecture, and unique features accessible to the public, the Ohlsdorf Cemetery Museum—located in the historic administration building—provides information on the grounds’ origins, burial culture, and ecological diversity. Themed guided tours also depart regularly from this location.

A Vibrant Place of Nature and Culture

Ohlsdorf Cemetery has long since become much more than just a burial ground: it is a protected habitat for hundreds of plant species and numerous types of birds, deer, and other wildlife. It harmoniously blends grief and solace, history and the present, and nature conservation with the art of landscape gardening to create a unique, holistic work of art that is quintessentially Hamburg.

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Ohlsdorf Cemetery is open 365 days a year. Access times vary depending on whether you are arriving on foot, by bicycle, or by car:

• For pedestrians and cyclists:
  Daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (via the various side entrances and pedestrian gates).
• For cars (vehicle gates):
  • April to October: Daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
  • November to March: Daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Information on facilities:

• Consultation Center (in the historic administration building at the main entrance): Open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Columbaria (in Chapel 8, Chapel 11, and the Forum): Accessible in accordance with seasonal gate closing times (April–October: 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.; November–March: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.). 

Admission to Ohlsdorf Cemetery is generally free of charge.

As it is a publicly accessible park-like cemetery, you do not need to purchase a ticket to enter the grounds for walks, to visit gravesites, or to explore the historic features.

However, fees may apply for certain special services or facilities, such as:

• Guided tours (e.g., themed walking tours or cemetery bus tours offered by the support association or the museum).
• The Ohlsdorf Cemetery Museum (if purchasing tickets for special exhibitions or specific publications/maps).
• Driving a car on the grounds: A small road-use fee (toll) applies for entry by car during the hours when the gates are open for a fee; this serves to regulate vehicular traffic across the extensive network of paths.

By public transport:

• U-Bahn and S-Bahn: The Ohlsdorf station is the central transport hub and is located right next to the cemetery’s west entrance. Both the U1 and the S-Bahn (S1 / S11) stop here. It is just a short walk from the platforms to the entrance area.
• Bus: Several bus lines (including line 172 and various city bus routes) stop in the immediate vicinity of the main entrance. In addition, HVV bus line 170 operates as a loop service directly through the extensive cemetery grounds, allowing you to travel conveniently to various chapels and burial sections after your arrival.

By car:

• Getting there: The cemetery is located in the Ohlsdorf district of northern Hamburg and is easily accessible via Ring 2 or the feeder roads connecting from federal highways and surrounding major thoroughfares. Follow the signs for “Ohlsdorfer Friedhof” to reach the main entrance on Fuhlsbüttler Straße or the various secondary gates.
• Parking and driving on-site: Parking is available directly at the main entrance and at several of the gates. Additionally, during official gate opening hours, cars are permitted to drive onto the grounds—subject to a small road-use fee—to navigate the extensive network of paths.