Skogskyrkogården

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Skogskyrkogården


State Party = SWE
Type = Cultural
Criteria = ii, iv
ID = 558
Region = Europe and North America
Year = 1994
Session = 18th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/558

Skogskyrkogården (translated as The Woodland Cemetery) is a cemetery located in southern Stockholm, Sweden. Its design reflects the development of architecture from national romantic style to mature functionalism.

Skogskyrkogården came about following an international competition in 1915 for the design of a new cemetery in Enskede in the southern part of Stockholm, Sweden. The design of Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz, young architects from the Functionalist movement, was selected. Work began in 1917 on land that had been old gravel quarries that were overgrown with pine trees and was completed three years later. The architects' use of the natural landscape created an extraordinary environment of tranquil beauty that had a profound influence on cemetery design throughout the world.

The crematorium, with its remarkable Faith, Hope, and Holy Cross Chapels was Gunnar Asplund's final work of architecture, opened shortly before his passing in 1940. In 1994, Skogskyrkogården was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and although it does not have the number of famous interments as the Norra begravningsplatsen, its much older counterpart in northern Stockholm, it is a major tourist attraction. At the Tallum Pavilion, visitors can see an exhibition about the cemetery and the story of its origins and the two architects whose vision created it.

A few of the notables buried here are:
*Anton Nilson (1887-1989), revolutionary communist
*Gunnar Asplund (1885-1940), architect
*Greta Garbo (1905-1990), actress
*Ivar Lo-Johansson (1901-1990), writer
*Oscar A.C. Lund (1885-1963), silent film actor, director
*Lennart "Nacka" Skoglund (1929-1975), football star
*Alma Johansson (1880-1970)- missionary
*Pelle Lindbergh (1959-1985) - Team Sweden and NHL goaltender with Philadelphia Flyers
*Per Yngve Ohlin (1969-1991)- Black/Death Metal Singer

ee also

* List of famous cemeteries

External links

* [http://www.stockholm.se/skogskyrkogarden Official website]
* [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/558 UNESCO description]
* [http://www.raa.se/cms/extern/se_och_besoka/varldsarv_i_sverige/varldsarv_fran_norr_till_soder/skogskyrkogarden.html Riksantikvarieämbetet description]
* [http://www.eurofresh.se/stockholm/whc-stockholm.htm Virtual tour of Skogskyrkogården]