"Skogskyrkogården", in Swedish.
I was there on a guided tour in the summer of 2007 with my girlfriend at the time and my mother.
It was a profound experience that opened my eyes to landscape architecture and even to some degree, my view on death.
I hope to share what I can of this experience here with you.
First some facts
In December 1994 Skogskyrkogården, Stockholm Woodland Cemetery, was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List motivated as follows:
Skogskyrkogården (The Woodland Cemetery) is an outstandingly successful example of a designed cultural landscape which blends landform and natural vegetation with architectural features to create a landscape that is ideally suited to its purpose as a cemetery. The creation of Asplund and Lewerentz at Skogskyrkogården established a new form of cemetery that has exerted a profound influence on cemetery design throughout the world.
When it became apparent at the beginning of the century that Stockholm's burial grounds must be expanded, an international architect competition was initiated in order to ensure the dignity, artistic quality and harmony of the buildings, vegetation and landscape of a new cemetery - Skogskyrkogården, the Woodland Cemetery.
Three prizes were distributed, and they were all awarded to Swedish participants. The first prize went to the architects Erik Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz and their proposal was, in the main, recommended by the jury for implementation.
The tour
The guide took us to an open lawn, free of burial markers, that imparts a sense of serenity to the landscape. From here a large granite cross is the only object to break the horizon.
We walked up a stone stair to a memorial at the top of the hill. When we had gotten to the top the guide asked us if we felt anything special about the stairs. I then realized that it had been easier to walk up the stairs than it should have been.
The guide then explained to us why. The steps at the bottom was of normal height, or even perhaps slightly higher. But as you climbed higher the steps got shorter and shorter and smaller and smaller so by the time you got to the top you wouldn't be tired or out of breath.
This is when I first realized that this tour of Skogskyrkogården would be something special. The two architects thought of many such things that makes the experience unique.
If I had just walked around in the cemetery by myself without the guide I might never have noticed many of these ever so important details.
On the other side of the grove there's a small gravel path down the hill instead of a stair.
Here's me and my mother going back up to the grove later the same day. We just loved the view from up there so much that we had to go back after the tour.
Here's another example of the amazing landscape architecture.
This is the view down from the hill. The long gravel path leads into a forest and ends by a chapel. A grieving family is supposed to walk this path and start by feeling the open bright space. There's then some smaller bushes and smaller trees. These then become taller bright leafy green trees as you move further into the forest. The trees then changes into dark big and almost wildly grown pine trees and everything gets quite dark. The feeling of death and sadness might become overbearing at this point. But just at it's darkest there's suddenly a clearing! Light shines once again and the chapel is right there.
After the ceremony in the chapel you exit through another direction. This door opens up to a clearing in the forest that's actually almost two meters lower than the surrounding forest. The grieving family then walks down there into the light and this sunken clearing is supposed to make them feel a little better. More like a beginning, not like an end. It's hard to describe but I could feel it when I was there.
The cemetery and the first chapel, the Woodland Chapel, designed by E. G. Asplund, were completed in 1920. The wooden chapel with its white-washed walls and black roof is adorned by Carl Milles' sculpture "The Angel of Death", iron gates designed by Asplund.
Also look closely at the lock. The keyhole is a black skull!
The architects didn't try to hide death. They brought it forward instead.
I also visited the grave of Greta Garbo, famous Swedish actress.
And here's my mother and me :)
Well, I hope I managed to share a little of my amazing summer day at Skogskyrkogården. :)
If you're ever in Stockholm during the summer you could also take this tour. It's cheap and the cemetery is just 10 minutes by subway from the city center.
It's open all year around but the tour is only available during the summer.
Check out more information about Skogskyrkogården here:
Official information
www.skogskyrkogarden.se
Spherical 360 virtual tour
http://www.eurofresh.se/stockholm/whc-stockholm.htm
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skogskyrkog%C3%A5rden