The Old Cemetery

Historic background

Brixen’s cemetery of Saint Michael’s parish church is located between the two tallest buildings of the Old Town and is supposed to date back to the late 10th century. After serving as the sole burial ground in the city throughout the medieval period, it was finally replaced by the new cemetery near the former hospital of the Holy Spirit outside the city walls in 1792. Lack of space and poor hygiene had made this move absolutely necessary.

Description

In the hustle and bustle of the old town, the old cemetery continues to be a place of peace and quiet. The countless tombs and gravestones are in memory of former canons of the cathedral and local noblemen, the most illustrious being the minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein. Most graves are found under the arcade, which was built in the 18th century. The death lamp, a beacon at the centre of the grounds, originates from 1484. A more recent addition is the war memorial, inaugurated in 1960 in memory of local soldiers fallen in the World Wars.