Jacobsfriedhof

The Jacobsfriedhof is Weimar's oldest cemetery, in use since the Middle Ages and now preserved as a historical site. It wraps around the small Jakobskirche north of the Altstadt and contains the graves of Lucas Cranach the Elder, Christiane Vulpius (Goethe's wife), and several members of the Saxe-Weimar court. Schiller was originally buried here too, in the Kassengewolbe (the communal vault for notables), before his remains were moved to the Furstengurft in 1827.

The cemetery is small and easy to miss, but it rewards a quiet half hour. The headstones span centuries, and the setting under old linden trees is peaceful. It is free and open during daylight hours. The Jakobskirche beside it is also worth looking into — Goethe and Christiane were married there in 1806.

things to do sight
A story
Lucas Cranach the Elder is buried here, having spent his final year in Weimar after following his patron Johann Friedrich I into exile. Cranach died in 1553, just two years after arriving. His grave, marked by a simple stone, sits among those of other notable Weimar residents in what is now one of the most atmospheric corners of the city.