Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The cemetery in the east of Metz, created in 1829, met an urgent need for space for burials, the existing cemeteries around churches becoming unhealthy. Olfactory nuisances and health risks, aggravated by an epidemic of cholera in 1831, accelerated its creation. The road inspector Marie-Lucien Silly initially proposed a donation land, under tax conditions refused by the town hall. After tensions, the town finally purchased the land in 1831, and the cemetery opened in 1834.

The cemetery was structured around a roundabout and four sections, with monumental entrances dated 1834 and 1864, including that of Avenue de Strasbourg reserved for Protestants. Its gradual extension from 2.5 to 17.5 hectares reflects the demographic evolution of Metz. The old part, including funerary monuments and historic entrances, was classified as a historical monument in 2003 for its architectural and heritage interest.

The dominant funeral styles, neo-antical (Egyptian, Greek, Roman) and neo-medieval (Roman, Gothic), illustrate the artistic tendencies of the 19th century. The cemetery houses burials of local personalities, such as General Paul-Joseph Ardant, Mayor Paul Vautrin, or painter Auguste Hussenot. Remarkable monuments, such as an Egyptian chapel for Jean-Baptiste Bouchotte or an obelisk for Joseph Daga, testify to the diversity of the tributes rendered.

In the 20th century, a crematorium was added, modernizing its infrastructure. Today, the East Cemetery remains a place of memory and a significant example of the evolution of funeral practices in France, combining history, art and urban planning.

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