# Alter Jüdischer Friedhof

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Content updated: 2026-06-22

Alter Jüdischer Friedhof lies on a sand hill in Hanover’s Nordstadt, surrounded by tall trees and weathered gravestones. It is the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in Northern Germany, with origins around 1550. Burials continued until 1864, leaving approximately 700 graves across the raised ground.

Jewish burial customs shaped the terrain because graves were never reused and bodies were placed in successive earth layers. That practice gradually raised the original sand hill, creating the unusual elevation visible among the stones. Rabbis, community leaders, and Heinrich Heine’s grandfather and great-grandfather rest among those remembered here. Despite Nazi-era destruction plans, the cemetery remained untouched after its expropriation in 1943. The grounds now stand as a cultural monument documenting Jewish life in Hanover across several centuries.

The east-side gate carries the symbol of the priestly blessing, while the former entrance stood west. Uneven ground makes sturdy footwear important, and men must wear head coverings at the cemetery. The grounds are inaccessible to people with mobility impairments, preserving a quiet but demanding historical setting.

- City: [Hanover](https://mytuur.com/en/city/hannover/)

## Photos

- ![](https://mytuur-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/image_AlterJdischerFriedhof_67ea82905015e57639643f3f_0.jpg) — [Image: wikimedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jüdischer_Friedhof_Oberstrasse_Tor.jpg)

Spots like this one are the stops myTuur strings into tours through Hanover. In the app, each story begins where you stand: walk up to a spot and it starts, read it on screen or listen as you go, then follow the route to the next one.

## What is myTuur?

myTuur is a free city-guide app. Its tours are built from spots, and each spot carries a story that starts when you get there, to read or to listen to as you like.