Ancient Mourning Hall, Germany

The Ancient Mourning Hall is a dark tourism location in Germany. It was once a chapel of rest, where family and friends could say goodbye to the departed before burial. I visited this location during the Germany Summer 2020 Tour.

History of the Ancient Mourning Hall

The Ancient Mourning Hall lies in the grounds of one of the oldest cemeteries in Germany. The cemetery dates back to the mid-1500s, and is the final resting place of many historical figures. The site the huge, and feels like a large woodland park. It is such a beautiful and peaceful place for a summertime stroll.

Built in the late 1890s, the Ancient Mourning Hall has a Neo-Gothic architectural style. The sandstone used to construct the hall came from East Germany. The lancet windows feature simple stained glass, which adds to the Gothic aesthetic. Inside there is a mortuary, complete with rotating slab.

A new crematorium was built in the 1930s. As a result, the Ancient Mourning Hall closed and left to gather dust. The whole place is now decaying; the sandstone is crumbling and the metal is rusting.

Inside this neo-gothic hall of the dead

As you enter the door, the heavy door creaking. You can turn left or right. I choose right. This leads to a room, with a large stained glass window and a wash basin. This is the body preparation room, a place to wash the deceased before viewing. There is a morgue slab in a smaller room off to one side, it seems awkwardly placed and cramped. Marks on the floor suggest it was once in the larger room

Exiting the room, the long corridor leading back and beyond the entrance is lined with cubicles. Each one is partitioned by metal walls, and also have a metal door. Inside each is a low stone slab. Additional, each cubicle has a stained glass window to provide natural light. In these cubicles, the family and friends could say goodbye to the deceased in private.