April to September: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
October to March: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
December 6 to January 6: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Area: approx. 3.8 ha
Graves: approx. 6,500
Both cemeteries are still active and available for new burials.
If you are interested in acquiring a grave, please contact us directly — there are several options available:
graves for earth and/or urn burials, urn maintenance graves, or an urn wall at St. Rochus Cemetery.
In Nuremberg, the word epitaph refers to memorial plaques for the deceased, cast in bronze or brass. They were created by artisanal methods following individual designs and then affixed to the lying gravestones.***
The council of the city of Nuremberg was of the opinion that all human beings were equal in death and that worldly riches should not be flaunted. This is why, after 1520, strict norms for the size of gravestones were adopted. Thus an epitaph was the only possibility of distinguishing oneself from others even in death. The famous Nuremberg bronze casters impressively implemented their clients’ wishes.
The craft of the bronze and brass caster had flourished in Nuremberg over several centuries, and so the quality of these epitaphs was extraordinary. The inscriptions and imagery represent the upper strata of Nuremberg’s urban society from the early 16th century to the present. They not only include famous names such as Albrecht Dürer or Willibald Pirckheimer, but also important persons such as the composer Johann Pachelbel and Johann Philipp Harsdörffer, member of the language association of the “Pegnesischer Blumenorden”, a poets’ association which still exists today. A memorial plaque also honours William Wilson, the first engine driver working on the railway between Nuremberg and Fürth.
Artistically relevant epitaphs from six centuries have been preserved in both cemeteries. Each epoch may be recognised by its design language and characteristics. From the 16th to the 19th century, the epitaphs consisted of an inscription stating the deceased’s life data, profession and sometimes a short biography and a coat of arms or a house or master craftsman’s symbol. Sometimes decoration with ornaments, depictions of biblical topics or popular depictions of the name (Martin Peller, J I/ 1404 – Saint Martin) were complemented by a representation of the donor family. In addition, the epitaphs often also refer to the deceased’s profession. Thus the tools of their trade or the products of their work speak for themselves (see e.g. the communal grave of the carpenter journeymen of 1622 with a depiction of compass, square, chisel, mallet, axe and plane as the most important carpenters’ tools R 268).
A so-called „eloquent coat of arms“ is an amusing representation of the “occupant’s” name (Bauch – belly J I / 1619).
While in the late 20th century, there was an increase in mass-produced epitaphs, there was an equally strong trend towards more individualisation of memorial plaques. In order to both protect the existing and allow new additions, a committee has been in charge of granting permission for epitaphs, as has been the custom for centuries. In 2019 the craft of creating epitaphs was included in the Bavarian list of intangible cultural heritage.
At the beginning of the 16th century, the graves at St. Johannis and St. Rochus cemeteries were covered with simple rectangular sandstone slabs.
At that time, the Nuremberg city council determined the standard stone size to be three by six Werkschuh (approximately 84 cm x 167 cm).
The oldest stones date back to around 1520.
This simple stone design remained unchanged for a long time.
It was not until the 17th century that the upper surface (the cover) of the stones became more curved, the long sides more rounded, and the stone surfaces were inscribed with engraved, recessed lettering.
From around 1650 onward, a broad relief band—usually in the shape of a cross—was introduced on the curved surface of the stones.
Around the same time, pedestal-like ornaments began to appear at the head end of the stones, although these remained relatively rare.
From this period onward, another type of gravestone emerged: all four sides were given a pronounced moulding, and the cover was separated by a deep groove, making it appear almost like a coffin lid.
The design of the gravestones continued to evolve, transforming into the shape of a sarcophagus: the cover became curved, the long sides indented with rich moulding, and the narrow sides rolled into volutes, later often adorned with central cartouches.
This type of gravestone remained predominant until the 18th century.
During the Early Classical period, the sarcophagus-like form of the gravestones was retained, with the four sides now more frequently decorated with garlands.
In the second half of the 19th century, flat gabled tops appeared on the stone covers, and crosses in relief began to adorn the narrow sides.
Since the late 16th century, each stone has borne its own engraved number.
Historic flat gravestones and monuments from the 19th century, as well as unique epitaphs, are the distinctive features of these cemeteries, which are listed as historical monuments.
Many notable figures found their final resting place here. Through the centuries, they tell the story of Nuremberg and its times.