UNESCO Recognition Day in Mainz

The Jewish cemetery is hidden behind an old wire mesh fence on a neglected street in Mainz. It will be some time before the Jewish heritage is properly presented.

The city of Mainz and the Jewish community have agreed that the cemetery will remain closed in future. You can only visit it if you book a guided tour.

Instead of the old fence, a yew hedge will surround the Jewish graves, interrupted by narrow openings that allow a view of the grounds from outside.

The Old Jewish Cemetery, known as the "Jewish Sand" in Mainz, is considered the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe alongside the "Holy Sand" in Worms. Many gravestones date back to the 11th century. Since summer 2021, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Jewish cultural sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz.