Why you should visit the Old Cemetary in Hasselt, Belgium

The Old Cemetary in Hasselt, Belgium is located in the north of the city centre and since 2004 it has been a protected monument, being, as well, a park cemetery. Open to be seen and visited by anyone, the cemetary tells a history lesson to its guests, as they can follow a signposted route through the cemetary, being able to receive explanations of the most important graves.

The grey and massive tombstones are the first things to be seen when entering the graveyard. The pile of wet grey-orange leaves, specific for the autumn season, are creaking under the pressure of the steps. Even if people’s funeral clothes suggest a sorrowful sight, the chrysanthemums along the alleys of the graveyard make the place colourful. The plants in the cemetery have symbolic meanings: „the tree of death”, immortality, sorrow of the next of kin, as well as specific symbols referring to the profession of the deceased (a winch for a musician or composer, compass and shop hook for an architect).

Rows of tombstones stand in silence to the left and right, in front and behind. In this cemetary, there are several tombstones of Hasselt’s mayors, as well as other graves of remarkable men and women.

During this period, almost in lockdown, the cemetery looks like a dark wilderness. The sunset can catch you contemplating and visiting, undisturbed, all by yourself. Here, melancholy and gloom are your only friends. A visit to the Cemetary helps you hold the rational view of ahuman being, especially in these fragile times, characterized by vulnerability, uncertainty and doubt.