The striking layout of Darmstadt's Waldfriedhof cemetery was designed in 1914 based on plans by August Buxbaum (1876–1960). Due to the First World War, the project was not fully completed until 1922. The horseshoe-shaped site is accessed via a central north-south axis and a symmetrical network of diagonal and circular paths.

The entrance area alone is impressive with its neoclassical architecture. Two columns decorated with urns flank the portal and lead to the central fountain between the mourning halls. The semicircular colonnade houses historic crypts and connects two imposing domed buildings with a diameter of 17.5 metres. Today, the adjacent residential and administrative buildings house a café in the western wing, among other things.

The park-like grounds are particularly impressive as a place of remembrance. The memorial commemorates the victims of both world wars and those who died in the Darmstadt fire night of 11 September 1944. Bronze plaques on the wall of the lower gallery list the names of the identified victims of the mass grave there.

An important symbol of remembrance are the three bronze reliefs by sculptor Fritz Schwarzbeck (1902–1989). After the originals were stolen at the end of 2017, faithful replicas are now being made to restore this important testimony to the city's history. Monument protection and architectural interest are concentrated primarily on the southern part of the cemetery, where the most important graves are located.