St. Peter's Churchyard

The first thing that catches your eye here are the walls lining St. Peter’s Church—and that’s because they feature an extraordinary design: They feature around 200 different epitaphs—the term for these ornate tomb inscriptions—dating from the first half of the 16th century through 1828. The St. Peter’s Churchyard, which covers just under one hectare, is the oldest surviving Christian cemetery in the city. It was founded in 1453 around the late-medieval St. Peter’s Church. Those immortalized on the walls were mostly from families of note in Frankfurt, including the Merian and Textor families. Goethe’s parents are also buried here, albeit in separate graves. The grave of his mother, Catharina Elisabeth Goethe—known as “Aja” for short—is now located in the schoolyard of the neighboring Liebfrauenschule; therefore, you can only see it from a distance. The still-preserved Peterskirchhof Cemetery is designed as a tranquil garden. The church, on the other hand, is now a cultural hub run by young people for young people. Workshops, performances, readings, concerts, and much more take place here.