World Heritage Photos

Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: Skogskyrkogården is large cemetery in the Enskede district of Stockholm, the capital andlargest city of Sweden. Skogskyrkogården was created between 1917 - 1920 by Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz. The two architects designed a cemetery with a crematorium and several chapels nestled into the natural landscape and graves in a natural pine tree forest. The designers were inspired by elements from the Mediterranean antiquity, such as the buildings and streets of Pompeii. The design of the Woodland Cemetery Skogskyrkogården is based on the mourners experience: feelings of loss and sadness. The Holy Cross is the first thing you see when you come through the main entrance of Skogskyrkogården. The Woodland Crematorium and its three chapels were designed by Gunnar Asplund and were completed in 1940, just four months later Asplund died. The grave of Gunnar Asplund is located close to the granite Holy Cross he designed in 1939. Skogskyrkogården has greatly influenced the design of cemeteries throughout the world. The Woodland Cemetery Skogskyrkogården is still in use as a cemetery. Each year about 2000 burial services are held in one of the chapels of Skogskyrkogården. Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites near Stockholm: Drottningholm and Birka and Hovgården. Skogskyrkogården was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1994.

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   Skogskyrkogården, the Woodland Cemetery in Stockholm, Sweden: The Holy Cross is the first thing to see when you come through the main entrance of Skogskyrkogården. The cemetery was designed by the Swedish architects Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz. The Holy Cross was designed by Asplund in 1939 and financed by an anonymous donor, the granite cross is not intended to represent a symbol of faith, but is a symbol of the circle of life and death.

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   Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The Woodland Crematorium and the seven chapels of Skogskyrkogården are nestled into the natural landscape and the graves in a natural pine tree forest. The three chapels of the Woodland Crematorium were designed by Gunnar Asplund and were completed in 1940. The buildings were inaugurated in june 1940, just three months later Gunnar Asplund died. Skogskyrkogården is a UNESCO World Heritage.

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   Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The three chapels of the Woodland Crematorium has been named: Hope, Faith and the Holy Cross. The doors of the chapel are adorned with bronze reliefs. In front of the Chapel of the Holy Cross stands the sculpture 'Resurrection', the souls are looking up into the light waiting for their resurrection. Skogskyrkogården was created between 1917-1920, the design blends architectural elements and vegetation.

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   Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The grave of Gunnar Asplund, he died in 1940. The urn of Gunnar Asplund is interred in one of the columbariums, located nearby the granite Holy Cross (on the right hand side) he designed in 1939. A memorial stone bears the inscription: 'His work lives on'. Gunnar Asplund is considered one of the most important Swedish architects, his work greatly influenced later generations of Scandinavian architects.

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   Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The Gunnar Asplund Staircase is named after its designer. Skogskyrkogården has greatly influenced cemetery design throughout the world. In fact, Skogskyrkogården was already influential before its completion. The design and creation of the Woodland Cemetery Skogskyrkogården is based on the mourners experience: sadness and feelings associated with loss.

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   Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The Tallum Pavilion houses the Visitors Center. The Tallum Pavilion was renovated in 1998, it houses an exhibition about the Woodland Cemetery Skogskyrkogården and its two designers, the architects Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz. The Tallum Pavilion was designed by Gunnar Asplund in 1923. The roof of the Tallum Pavilion is covered with copper tiles.

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   Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The 'Sju brunnars stig', the Seven Springs Way, is running from the Meditation Grove to the Chapel of Resurrection. The 888 metres long path is intended for mourners to follow to the Chapel of Resurrection. The Seven Springs Way is lined with weeping birches, pines and spruces. The route leading to the chapel is designed to create the appropriate mood for mourners prior to the funeral service.

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   Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The Chapel of Resurrection was inaugurated in 1925. The designers of Skogskyrkogården were inspired by elements from Mediterranean antiquity. The Chapel of Resurrection was designed by Sigurd Lewerentz. It is a neoclassical temple in the woodlands of Skogskyrkogården and situated at the end of the Seven Springs Way. Each year, about 2000 burial services are held in one of the chapels of Skogskyrkogården.

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   Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The columbaria, stone walls with niches for placing cremation urns. Skogskyrkogården is still used as a cemetery. Skogskyrkogården gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1994. The decision of UNESCO was based on the qualities of Skogskyrkogården as a notable example of architecture and a 20th century cultural landscape being shaped into a cemetery.

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    Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The oldest part of the cemetery is situated in a natural pine tree forest. Skogskyrkogården was created in 1917 - 1920 by the Swedish architects Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz. Skogskyrkogården is still in use. Skogskyrkogården is one of the largest cemeteries in Sweden with some 100,000 graves. The huge cemetery Skogskyrkogården is situated in Enskede, a suburb in the outskirts of Stockholm.

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    Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The grave of Greta Garbo. Greta Garbo was a famous Hollywood film actress, an international star and icon until she retired in 1941, the rest of her life became a great mystery. Greta Garbo was born in Stockholm in 1905. She died in New York in 1990, at the age of  84. Her body has been cremated secretly and after a long legal battle her ashes were interred in 1999 at Skogskyrkogården, the cemetery in her native town Stockholm.

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    Skogskyrkogården - Woodland Cemetery: The Meditation Grove Almhöjden is accessed by a long stairway, its steps are gradually lowering in height to ease the climb. The Meditation Grove Almhöjden was created by Lewerentz. Skogskyrkogården lies peacefully in a landscape of gently rolling hills and natural forest, the cemetery is situated in the outskirts of Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden. Skogskyrkogården was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.