A vintage car graveyard in western Germany, in photos
A vintage Cadillac is covered by autumn leaves inside a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
METTMANN, Germany (AP) — Michael Froehlich celebrated his 50th birthday in 2000 by buying 50 vintage cars, all manufactured the year he was born. After removing the oil and pollutants, Froehlich parked them in a private forest near his home in western Germany to create a classic car graveyard.
The collection includes a Jaguar XK120, a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and a Porsche 356, and would be worth millions if the cars were restored. Instead, they remain parked and covered in fall’s crisp leaves, winter’s heavy snow and 25 years of rust.
And so man and machine continue to age together.
Cars from 1950 rust within a forest at a private car sculpture park in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Cars from 1950 rust within a forest at a private car sculpture park in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A painting decorates an Australian Holden vintage car sitting in a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A painting decorates an Australian Holden vintage car sitting in a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Vintage cars are covered by fall leaves inside a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Vintage cars are covered by fall leaves inside a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dolls of Queen Elizabeth II and her son Charles sit inside a vintage Rolls Royce car at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dolls of Queen Elizabeth II and her son Charles sit inside a vintage Rolls Royce car at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A vintage Ford car sits at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A vintage Ford car sits at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Mushrooms grow around vintage cars at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Mushrooms grow around vintage cars at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Car collector Michael Froehlich poses for a portrait from a vintage Jaguar XK120 car at his private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Car collector Michael Froehlich poses for a portrait from a vintage Jaguar XK120 car at his private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A vintage car is on display at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A vintage car is on display at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A Porsche 356 vintage car sits at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A Porsche 356 vintage car sits at a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A vintage car is partially consumed by the forest inside a private car sculpture park in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A vintage car is partially consumed by the forest inside a private car sculpture park in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Vintage cars sit in a forest at a private car sculpture park in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Vintage cars sit in a forest at a private car sculpture park in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A vintage EMW car is partially buried in autumn leaves inside a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A vintage EMW car is partially buried in autumn leaves inside a private car sculpture park within a forest in Neanderthal Valley in Mettmann, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
