Westerbegraafplaats, Ghent

Westerbegraafplaats is the largest cemetery in Ghent, designed by city architect Adolphe Pauli and opened in 1873 as a secular burial ground, although construction had actually begun back in 1862. Covering 23 hectares and holding around 30,000 graves, it remains one of the most extensive cemeteries in the East Flanders region.

Why was it nicknamed the "Geuzenkerkhof"?

Mayor Charles de Kerchove de Denterghem decided that the new cemetery would allow non-consecrated burials, meaning Jews and Protestants could be laid to rest there alongside Catholics. This choice quickly earned the site the nickname "Geuzenkerkhof" — a reference to the historic "Geuzen" (Beggars), the Protestant rebels of the Eighty Years' War. The local diocese resisted the arrangement for a long time and refused to consecrate the grounds, reinforcing the cemetery's reputation as a secular, free-thinking space. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Westerbegraafplaats had become the preferred final resting place for Ghent's liberal citizens, intellectuals and artists.

What can visitors see at the cemetery?

Beyond its many family vaults and funerary monuments in Art Nouveau and historicist styles, the cemetery includes several honour plots. These are carefully organised by nationality and hold the graves of British, French, Russian and Italian soldiers who died during the First World War. This multinational presence turns the site into both a place of historical remembrance and a record of the international lives entangled with Ghent's wartime history.

Where exactly is the cemetery located?

Westerbegraafplaats lies in the western part of Ghent, Belgium, at approximately 51.071°N, 3.701°E. Its spacious layout, tree-lined avenues and sculptural gravestones give it the atmosphere of a city park rather than a conventional cemetery, drawing not only mourners visiting family graves but also visitors interested in local history and funerary art.

Frequently asked questions

Can Westerbegraafplaats be visited like a heritage site? Yes, the cemetery is open to the public and regarded as part of Ghent's architectural heritage — walking its avenues offers a glimpse into the city's history through the lives of its residents over the past century and a half.

Who is buried at this cemetery? Alongside Ghent residents of various faiths, the cemetery holds the graves of soldiers of several nationalities who died in the First World War, honoured in dedicated plots of honour.

Why is it called the "Western" cemetery? The name Westerbegraafplaats ("Western cemetery") refers to its location in the western part of Ghent, distinguishing it from other municipal cemeteries situated in different districts of the city.

How does it differ from a typical Catholic cemetery? From the outset it was established as a secular cemetery, not reserved solely for Catholics — allowing burials of Jewish and Protestant residents as well, an unusual and at the time controversial arrangement in 19th-century Belgium.