AGM 2015 conference presentations
SEFITDIECI'15 - Cultural Heritage of the Cemeteries
Monumental Cemetery in Milan, open air museum. A new series of events
On Sunday 1 November 2015 from 10 am to 5.30 the Monumental Cemetery of Milan will host a new series of events, organized by the City Council to enhance and promote this treasure chest of art and make the Monumental Cemetery be part of the cultural life of the city.
Eastern Cemetery (Rennes, France)
About the cemetery
This contemporary cemetery, where diversity and innovation are keywords, is a true reflection of the modern city of Rennes, its inhabitants and also developments of the funeral practices since the end of the 19th century. The architectural and sociological perspectives aspects of this location are interesting.In addition to the interesting architectural and sociological aspects of the cemetery, the military heritage is also very important. The German military section and the Commonwealth section show the European dimension of the Eastern cemetery. Every summer, many foreign tourists come to visit these graves.
Furthermore, some important personalities are buried at the Eastern cemetery. One of them is Guy Parigot, a well-known actor theater producer who had a brilliant career in Rennes, in France and also worldwide, mostly in the United States and Canada.
In the middle of the cemetery, one can see a central way planted by bicentenary oak trees on each side, which were offered by the Tsar Nicolas II of Russia. At the main entrance of the cemetery, a room is available for families who want to pay their respect to the deceased and to organize civil funerals.
Basic data
The Eastern Cemetery is owned by the City of Rennes and managed by the City Hall of Rennes and the Funeral Department. At present, it isn’t protected, except through the Eco Label - a quality label for ecological green spaces.The cemetery covers 163.142 m2 of land and includes 29.000 graves, of which 2.000 are military graves. There are also 1.600 cinerary niches (1.000 places in columbarium, 500 urn tombs, and 100 cinerary places).
The most representative nationalities buried at the cemetery are French and Maghreb (mainly Algerian and Moroccan). The predominant religions present are Catholic, Islamic, Jewish and Buddhist.
Important graves and monuments
The Rallé ChapelThe funeral chapel of Rallé family was created in 1967. It was designed and built by the architect Charles Rallé, son and brother of building contractors, for the family’s burials.
The French Remembrance’s monument
The monument of the national and local association French Remembrance (in French “Souvenir Français”) was created in 1901. This monument was constructed thanks to an initial public offering. It is the work of the architect L. Balle and the marble worker V. Folliot. This is an ossuary for the 1870 War Veterans and also the soldiers deployed in Rennes, died before the First World War. This monument of 31 m2 is a major component of the Eastern cemetery. In front of it, there is a central way bordered by bicentenary oak trees. Behind it, the French remembrance space protects more than 2.000 burials of fallen soldiers of the World War 1.
The Small eastern lighthouse
The small eastern lighthouse (in french “petit phare de l’Est”) was created in 2011.This space mainly receives the remains of lifeless children. It has been designed and built by Stéphane Bernigaud, plastic artist, in collaboration with the Funeral Department of Rennes. On the small eastern lighthouse, there is a fresco with some volutes and naïve arabesques. In this place there are also a tree with tapes, a box to receive some letters, a little memory column. All of those items have been created for deceased children, and for the mourning of their family.
The common grave
The common grave of the Eastern Cemetery was created in 2006. It is the final resting place for much deceased people. This ossuary was inaugurated in October 31, 2006. Philippe Le Ray, a blacksmith and a carver, he created this masterpiece named “The flower of life” (in French “La fleur de vie”), in cooperation with Anne Nazart, a landscape architect who designed the space around it. The Flower of life lies on a blue and red checkerboard made of shale. It is more than 4 meters high and represents all the dignity and respect for their dead people. This creation was promoted by The “Dignity Cemetery” Collective (in French Collectif “Dignité Cimetière”), and also by Rennes city.
Jean Boucher’s grave
The burial place of the sculptor Jean Boucher was created in the 20th century. In this grave are the human remains of the famous sculptor: Jean Boucher (1870-1939), who won the Second Rome Prize of sculpture in 1894 and 1898. His work was marked by an impressive creation of war memorial dedicated to WW1 soldiers, which are located in neighbour communities of Rennes as also in Paris, Verdun, Lyon and Guernsey…Jean Boucher was also popular for teaching. He tutored some famous sculptors such as Paul Belmondo. This grave is ornate by two bronze sculptures of his creation.
Innovative spots at the cemetery
- The White Garden, unique in France, with a successful landscape in terms of meditation for cremated lifeless children.
- The Common Grave is now seen as a real place for meditation, and not only for an unwelcome place for families.
- The creation of a "river of dispersal" and a cinerary space with columbaria (influenced by Brittany Region), urn tombs and cinerary fields, is being elaborated. This area is planted with several kind of trees.
For visitors of the cemetery
The virtual tour allows seeing the graves of some personalities, with texts, photographs, videos. The website dedicated to cemeteries of Rennes. It will have a digital platform, online databases, preview of locations and detailed routes, information about funeral services, news… The first online databases version will become operational in the middle of 2015. In its second version, the website shall be provided for e-payment. By the end, there will be a virtual meditation of the dead. For already 15 years, the tourist office of Rennes City offers guided-tours inside the Eastern Cemetery to allow visitors to discover this location.Programmes of research, conservation and preservation
- A Heritage census of the Eastern Cemetery is being implemented by the city of Rennes.
- Gaëlle Clavandier, professor at Saint-Etienne University, and Philippe Charrier, scientist at the CNRS of Lyon ("Centre Max Weber" in Lyon), as part for their research about perinatal bereavement, have contacted the city of Rennes, in relation to the White Garden. With the virtual tour, this project was presented in their class.
- The student Rozenn HUAULT (University of Rennes 2), in 1989-1990, has written a thesis in sociology: "Life in the Eastern Cemetery of Rennes".
- In 2007, Guillaume Perrette has obtained a specialty certification "Management of ornamental trees", with his "Analysis of arboreal heritage of the Eastern Cemetery".
- The Eastern Cemetery is listed on the websites www.tournagesbretagne.com and www.filmfrance.net
Cemetery contacts
Cimetière de l’EstPlace du Souvenir Français
35000 Rennes
France
Tel: (+33) 2 23 62 16 00
Other contacts
Nathalie Bidan (in charge of Funeral heritage)Address: Northern Cemetery, 36 avenue Gros Malhon, 35000 Rennes, France
Tel: (+33) 2 23 62 10 15
Email: n.bidan@ville-rennes.fr
Eliane Ammi (Funeral Department co-manager, in charge of digital innovation)
Address: East Cemetery, 1 place du Souvenir Français, 35000 Rennes, France
Tel: (+33) 2 23 62 16 00
Email: e.ammi@ville-rennes.fr
Patrice Quénot (Funeral Department manager)
Address: City Hall of Rennes, Place de l’Hôtel de Ville CS 63126, 35031 Rennes, France
Tel: (+33) 2 23 62 10 10
Email: p.quenot@ville-rennes.fr
The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno hosts "Dante 750. Descent into Hell"
Alessandro Tampieri plays a selection of the most famous verses of Dante's Hell in one of the most beautiful and evocative location: it will be a special evening walk, at the discovery of some of the artistic treasures of the monumental cemetery.
The performance held on 29th October is addressed in particular to students. Two important academics have been invited: Francesco De Nicola, lecturer at the University in Genoa will speak about Dante and his modernity, Caterina Olcese Spingardi, Art Historian at Soprintendenza Belle Arti e Paesaggio della Liguria, will speak about the Cemetery of Staglieno.
Celebrating 750 years from Dante's birth, the intention is to keep alive the heritage of one the most important poets of history, focusing on his absolute modernity and brightening up his force through theatre.
4 October 2015: the events at Monumental Cemetery of Milan
The events take place every first Sunday of each month, and they are curated by Fondazione Milano Scuole Civiche.
Students of the Scuole Civiche give voice to famous people resting at the Monumental Cemetery, staging short plays written and produced specifically for these occasions.
On Sunday 4 October 2015, from 10 am to 6 pm, the Monumental Cemetery will host theatrical performances, music shows, guided tours and much more.
Free entrance.
The complete programme is available here (in Italian): www.fondazionemilano.eu
Monumental Cemetery of Messina (Messina, Italy)
Basic data
The monumental Cemetery of Messina is owned and managed by the Municipality of Messina, Department Urban Environment cemetery services. It covers 220.000 m2. and the predominant nationalities at the cemetery are Italian and English. The main religion is Christian.About the cemetery
Historical and artistic aspects
Significant aspects of the cemetery
- Expression of European Romanticism Art and Culture
- Witness of Italian Patriotism
- Valuable Heritage building of Messina’s Romantic period
- Valuable Heritage building of Messina’s Rationalism period
- Wrought iron decoration
- Existence of a flourishing trade English colony in Messina
- Presence of Well-know characters
- Open air Museum City
Main parts of the cemetery
The Atrium of public celebrations is located in the low part of the cemetery. It has a parterre and pond. On the top there is the basilica San Basilio degli Azzurri.The Famedio is a memorial chapel that is crossed by an underground tunnel, resembling the catacombs, containing the remains of famous men of Messina. There you can find cenotaphs and burials of Giuseppe La Farina (work of art by Gregorio Zappalà), of Felice Bisazza (work of art by Gaetano Russo), of Giuseppe Natoli (work of art by Lio Gangeri) and others. The work was inaugurated on March 27 1872 and for the occasion the remains of Giuseppe Farina were transferred here from Torino. The Famedio is located in the middle part of the cemetery and consist a portico with ionic capitals, crowning columns and the remains of a basilica.
The Cenobio is an example of Art Gothic Revival that is located in the high part of the cemetery. The design of Cenobio Grand Cemetery of Messina, also known as Gothic chapel or convent, is currently attributed to architect Giacomo Fiore (1808-1893), as part of the realization of the cemetery complex. The level ground around the Cenobio contains valuable tombs, almost all made within the last decades of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Until 1908, the Cenobio was in use, as well as the conduct of religious services at the residence of the Great Cemetery and accommodation of chaplain - director and his assistant.
Important graves and monuments
- The tomb of Pierce Chapel (1921, by Vincenzo Vinci) - Funerary Chapel of Giorgio Pierce and his family. High example of Eclectic neo - Romanesque style in the shape of a small temple with portico entrance, covered by an unusual "pagoda". The same motive is repeated in the elaborate cornice crowning and battlements of the high spire terminal. The tomb consist of wrought-iron, frescos, gold wood, mosaic decorations.
- Monument to the Financiers, victims of the earthquake of 1908 (1921, by V. Pardo Roma)
- Monument of Letterio d’Andrea (1912, by G. Scarfì)
- Cenotaph and Burial of Giuseppe La Farina (1872, by G. Zappalà) - Personification of Italy like a lady that cries for the famous patriot. On the top of the urn there is the bust of La Farina.
- Cenotaph and Burial of intellectual and poet Felice Bisazza (1872, by G. Russo) - Personification of Literature like Apollo and two angels. There is also a portrait of the poet in front of Cenotaph.
Educational aspects
For schools, to visit it, can become a source of total immersion in the ancient and multiple insights for further teaching of local and European history.Written works about the cemetery
- Amato Antonino. 1988. Il Famedio di Leona Savoja: dalle necropoli di età preistorica al Gran Camposanto di Messina. Messina: Edas edizioni.
- Amato Antonino. 1991. Il Cenobio del Gran Camposanto di Messina, studi e rilievi 2 vol. Messina: Edas edizioni Attard.
- Vincenzo Giorgio. 1995. Il Cimitero degli inglesi Appunti- Epigrafi- Elenchi. Messina: Perna.
- Azzolina Pippo and Molonia Giovanni. 2000. Un libro aperto sulla città Il Gran Camposanto di Messina. Messina: La Grafica editoriale.
- Caminiti M. Anna. 2013. Recinti sacri. I complessi cimiteriali come elemento di costruzione del paesaggio. Messina: Magika collana odierna.
- Carbone Gaetano. Il Gran Camposanto di Messina (GBM).
- De Pasquale Dario. 2010. Mille volti un’anima. Dal gran camposanto di Messina all'Unità d'Italia. Un percorso iconografico alla ricerca dell'identità perduta. Barcelona (Me): Sikelia.
- Finocchio Giuseppe. 2010. Marmi alati, Messina il Natale degli Angeli/ il Giardino scultoreo della memoria Messina (Brochure).
- Spina Luigi. 2013. Monumentale. Un viaggio fotografico all'interno del gran camposanto di Messina. Milano: Electa Mondadori.
Cemetery address
Dipartimento CimiteriVia Catania, n.118
98124 Messina
Italy
Cemetery contacts
Tel.: 0902923548 (contact center)Fax: 090694542
Other contacts
Daniele Ialacqua (Assessor)daniele.ialacqua@comune.messina.it
Giuseppe Finocchio (professional Cultural Heritage- Organising Cultural Events)
giusfi81@yahoo.it
Teresa Altamore (Historical - architectural consultant)
teresa.altamore@comune.messina.it
Lister Lane Cemetery (Halifax, United Kingdom)
About the cemetery
Basic data
Cemetery location and accessibility
Cemetery design
Significant aspects of the cemetery
As Halifax’s first general cemetery it has historical significance as the last resting place of some 20,000 individuals, forming a complete cross-section of Halifax society of the time. It is an important part of Calderdale’s rich architectural heritage, where fine examples of Victorian memorial architecture may be seen. Enclosed by high stone walls, it is a green oasis, three acres of tranquility, a place of ecological value and natural beauty which lies not far from the busy town centre of Halifax offering a place to relax or take outdoor exercise. It is also an attractive location for photography and sketching and for outdoor work for volunteers interested in gardening and conservation work.- An early garden cemetery (1839-1841) of the second decade of garden cemetery design. It was designed by James Day, a local land agent and surveyor.
- The site survives largely complete with a focal (mortuary) chapel (Grade II listed) now derelict.
- The cemetery contains a notable range of catacombs incorporated into the change of level of the site as a viewing terrace.
- The cemetery was the first in a series of mid to late 19th century developments in Halifax which included the building of Belle Vue House built by a member of the Crossley family who owned a large carpet manufacturing business; almshouses; middle class housing; churches; and People’s Park.
- Local social interest expressed in burials.
Important graves and monuments
- Grave of Robert Nutter (1792-1867) - Grave No. 3819
- Daniel Milton (1780-1856) - Grave No. 4200
Conservation and preservation of the cemetery
Contacts
Ann WilkinsonTel: +441422 260177
Email: friendsofllc@yahoo.co.uk or ann.wilkinson0@talk21.com
Website: www.listerlanecemetery.co.uk/
City Cemetery of Zadar (Zadar, Croatia)
Basic data
The City Cemetery of Zadar is owned by the City of Zadar and managed by T.D. Nasadi d.o.o.It is a landscape, religious cemetery. The prevalent religions present in the cemetery are Catholics and Orthodox, but in recent years also Muslims are buried there. Most deceased are Croats, Serbs and Bosnians. In the past, one part of the cemetery was Jewish, but after World War II it has changed owners.
The area of the cemetery occupies about 11 hectartes, devided into 10 areas and every area is divided by grave fields. It includes about 7.000 tombs and about 1.500 ground burials but the number is increasing since the cemetery is still expanding, following the development of the city.
Architecture on the cemetery
There are two chapels in the cemetery - Catholics and Ortodox. The Chatolic chapel was constructed in 1866. It has arcades to its left and right and also some graves inside the chapel. The Ortodox chapel on the other hand was built in 1910 by civil engineer Anton Matezenik.In 1934, the cemetery was expanded for the first time. At this time the structures near the entrance were constructed as well as the facade which exists unchanged to this days. It's called the New Cemetery B.
One of the attractions at the cemetery is also the ancient Roman aqueduct, built in the 2nd century in the time of Roman emperor Trajan, that delivered water from Lake Vrana to the city.
Important graves and monuments
The oldest part of the cemetery has some valuable and lovely memorial plates and gravestones and some of them were created by famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Rendić, who worked on well known monuments in Croatia, including in other Croatian cemeteries.Some important tombs in the cemetery are the tomb Borelli, tomb Vlahov, tomb Abelich, tomb Tomassich and others.
Some famous people buried in the cemetery are:
- Ante Brkan (died in 2004) - the most important photographer in Zadar. He marked the emergence of the Modern Croatian photography.
- Zvonimir Brkan (died in 1979) - together with his brother Ante Brkan is among the most important Croatian photographers. He has had about 230 photo exhibitions around the world.
- Giuseppe Ferrari Cupilli (died in 1865) - writer and cultural historian. He wrote plays, poems, translations and other contributions to the cultural history of Zadar and Dalmatia.
- Tomaso Burato (died in 1910) - carried the title of Imperial and Royal court photographer. He was called “maestro photo elegance”.
- Blagoje Bersa (died in 1934) - was a Croatian musical composer. He set the foundations of modern archestar style in Croatia, introduced into the opera realistic subject matter.
- Jospi Bersa (died in 1932) - Croatia writer and archaeologist, also a conservator and the director of Archaeological Museum. It was the author of numerous studies on the archaeological sites of Dalmatia.
- Don Ivo Prodan (died in 1933) - Roman Catholic professor, writer and journalist. He established and opened the Catholic Croat printing office.
- Josip Brčić (died in 1895) - the pharmacist who was the first full time photographer. Also he opened the first photographic studio.
- Ivan Brčić (died in 1870) - the catechist and teacher of Croatian language. His Glagolitic „Chrestomathia“ in 1859 is the first publication in 19th century.
Preservation and conservation
From 1974, the oldest section of the cemetery (incorrectly referred to as New Cemetery A) is under the protection of State Directorate for Cultural Heritage Protection. Also the Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments protects the oldest part of the cemetery that date back to the 19th century.The tombs in the cemetery are divided into four categories, according to their value, beauty and importance to the families that created them. The most significant category 1 includes the most important tombs. Nothing regarding their original appearance can be changed.
Address
City Cemetery of ZadarFranka Lisice 46
23000 Zadar
Croatia
The Old South Cemetery (Munich, Germany)
Basic data
Important graves and monuments
- Ellen Ammann
- Friedrich von Gärtner
- Leo von Klenze
- Ludwig von Schwanthaler
- Ferdinand von Miller
Management of the cemetery
Cemetery design
Significant aspects of the cemetery
Conservation and preservation
For the purposes of preservation and conservation of the Old South Cemetery, some projects have been carried out in recent years and will be continued also in the future. Around 3,000 tombs have been renovated since 2004 in terms of their stability. About 60 individual monuments were restored. Parallel to the renovations, a scientifically supported inventory of all tombs in the Old South Cemetery took place between 2004 and 2007. Also an inventory of the existing flora and fauna in the cemetery was conducted until 2013.Cemetery address
Thalkirchner Straße 17,80337 München,
Germany
Management adress
Landeshauptstadt München,Referat für Gesundheit und Umwelt
Städtische Friedhöfe München,
Damenstiftstraße 8 80331 München,
Germany
Management contacts
T: +49 (0) 89 23199 201E: staedtische-friedhoefe.rgu@muenchen.de
Cemetery Boninovo (Dubrovnik, Croatia)
Basic data
Cemetery Boninovo is owned by the City of Dubrovnik and managed by Boninovo d.o.o. It is a community and religious cemetery which covers 15.400 m2 of land and contains 1982 graves. It is protected by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and by the Conservation Department in Dubrovnik.
Important graves and monuments
- Bošković family tomb (1880)
- Berdović family tomb (1940)
- Glavić family tomb (1905)
- Dabrović family tomb (1887)
- Tomb of nobleman Karlo Natali (1856)
Nationalities
Burials in cemeteries reflect the demographics of the population of the city of Dubrovnik. At the municipal cemetery of the Holy Cross, today in the main cemetery those buried are mostly Croats, but there is a small number of ltalians who settled in Dubrovnik in the 19th century. There has been a small number of Austrians, Czechs, Poles and other nationalities who moved to Dubrovnik during the Austro-Hungarian rule.
At the Orthodox cemetery mostly Serbs are buried, but there is also a small number of Montenegrins, Greeks and Russians. Burials of Russians can be divided into two groups: one representing Russians who had stayed in Dubrovnik for business reasons or had been in transit, and several workers of Imperial Russian consulate in Dubrovnik have been buried there. The second, larger group, are Russian immigrants who had come to Dubrovnik after the Russian Revolution, of whom many acclimatized and permanently settled in Dubrovnik.
At the Jewish cemetery only Jews and Croats were buried, with a few Jews of other nationalities (Austria, Hungary, Italy), who occasionally resided in Dubrovnik.
At the Muslim cemetery mostly Bosniaks and Croats have been buried, with occasional individual burials of Muslim of other nationalities, eg. from Albania or Macedonia.
Religions
At the municipal cemetery of the Holy Cross, which to this day has been the town's principal cemetery, almost exclusively Catholic residents were buried until the Second World War. There were individual burials of members of other communities, but their number is negligible and mostly represent the burials of a spouse of a Catholic. In the last fifty years burials of members of all faiths and atheists have taken place in the municipal cemetery, but due to religious affiliations of Dubrovnik population, burials with Catholic rites are prevalent.
Given that up to the Second World War the Orthodox cemetery of St Archangel Michael had been confessional cemetery run by the Serbian Orthodox church. The burials were conducted almost exclusively for the members of the Orthodox church. Apart from that, a certain number of burials of members of Anglican and Protestant churches has been recorded in this cemetery. However, due to population who used the grave plots and for family reasons, today mostly members of Orthodox community are still buried here.
At Jewish and Muslim cemeteries, burials are carried out mostly for members of the respective religious communities. The rare exceptions are usually a spouse or family members of Jewish or Muslim communities in cases when they are of a different faith.
History
In the town of Dubrovnik, as well as in most European states, the establishment of first cemeteries occured in the first half of the 19th century. Residents of Dubrovnik had previously been buried in churches and monasteries and in their close proximity. During the occupation of Dubrovnik by the French in April of 1808, a decree was passed, prohibiting burials of the deceased within the city walls. However, the war and lack of space close to Town had not led to instantaneous establishment of new cemeteries. In the following thirty years, Catholic population, which made up the majority of the town's population, used the churchyard adjoining the church and convent of St. Mary on Dande as the principal burial ground. Only the Jewish population opted for a burial ground away from the town centre and in 1811 established a graveyard at Boninovo, northwest of the Town. In 1837, following several unsuccessful attempts at finding a new location, Orthodox Parish completed its new cemetery at Boninovo and the church of St. Archangel Michael.
Apart from these two confessional cemeteries, between 1855 and 1860 the municipal cemetery was also established on its present location. In 1882 the cemetery was adjoined by a cemetery chapel of the Holy Cross built in Neo-Romanesque style. Eventually, in 1935, a small cemetery for members of the Muslim community in Dubrovnik was also established, which set the confines of the cemetery and its facilities. After the World War II, the local government took over the cemeteries' management from religious communities, and today the cemeteries are managed by a municipal utility company.
Design
It has not yet been established which architects and engineers influenced the design of the cemeteries at Boninovo. It can be assumed with high probability that it was municipal service engineers who operated these and other projects assigned to them in the field of urbanism and architecture. After the First World War, cemetery management was entrusted to Božo Bacelj, who maintained the high level of cemetery's design and landscape.
Designs of grave memorials, in cases when they were not brought in from different locations abroad, which happened rarely, were influenced by local artists, such as drawing teacher and natural scientist Baldo Kosić, architect Ivo Ćurlica and sculptor Frano Kršinić. The largest number of memorials were made by local stonecutters and masons.
In the Interwar Period, most graveside memorials were made in the workshop of Giovanni (lvo) Collonna, an Italian acclimatized in Dubrovnik who owned a thriving stone-carving business. Far from being just a skillful craftsman, some of his memorials demonstrate artistic talent as well. Other masons also worked on Dubrovnik cemeteries, namely Mauro Sagrestano, Mauro Martucci, Ermeneđildo Job, Vicenzo Capurso, Frano Kršinić, Mato Kršinić etc. That explains the many analogies between the monuments on the cemeteries of Dubrovnik.
Other relevant data
A peculiarity of Dubrovnik cemeteries is that both Municipal and Orthodox cemetery were built on land where summer residences of Dubrovnik nobility and citizens had been. During the Russian-Montenegrin siege of Dubrovnik in 1806, the town's surroundings were devastated, with many summer villas in Boninovo burnt, thus clearing the space which could potentially be used for other purposes. Subsequently the Orthodox cemetery was built in the garden of the summer villa of Pozza-Sorgo family, with the summer villa reconstructed and enlarged to make a sacral building, and with the central tree alley of the old summer villa converted into the main alley of the cemetery.
The Municipal cemetery follows the same pattern; the main alley leading to the main entrance to the Holy Cross chapel was the alley in the former garden, and the chapel with adjoining rooms is a reconstruction of the burnt summer villa which had belonged to the Altesti family. The earlier use can be observed in today's cemetery walls which were actually the wall fences of former estates, and present-time, with the main gate of the municipal cemetery adapted from the preserved gate of Altesti summer residence.
In conclusion, we may say that the complex of Boninovo cemeteries in Dubrovnik has gone through the stylistic stages of Classicism, Historicism, Modernism and simplicity prevailing in the second half of the twentieth century, almost devoid of any stylistic traits. Grave memorials were built in each of these styles, and apart from average monuments, there were also high quality creations in accordance with Dubrovnik standards.
It is also worth pointing out a particularity and specificity of Dubrovnik which occur and prevail in this context - typical modesty reflected in town's architecture over centuries. The distinctive modesty of Dubrovnikers, be they Catholics, Orthodox or Jewish, was further demonstrated in their grave memorials in the 19th century. Just one walk through Dubrovnik cemeteries will suffice to attest this fact. While elegant, most grave memorials are modest and simple in comparison with those in cemeteries of similar merchant towns on the Adriatic coast - Split, Zadar, Rijeka or Trieste - such as spectacular mausoleums, magnificent sculptural works by famous sculptors, spacious parks and cemetery chapels.
It is worth noting that the conversion of former summer residence district into modern cemetery space through the 19th century was pioneered by the town's minorities, first Jewish and then Orthodox communities, whose model of conversion of summer residence into a cemetery chapel and the garden into burial ground was followed by Catholic population twenty years later with the construction of Municipal cemetery. The choice of periphery proved to be a good one, although today the cemetery is situated almost in centre of the city of Dubrovnik.
Address
Boninovo CemeteriesIzmeđu tri crkve 1
Dubrovnik
Croatia
Contacts
Zlatko UršićEmail: boninovo.doo@du.t-com.hr
Phone: 00385 2041 6205
Štefi Ljubimir
Email: boninovo.doo@du.t-com.hr
Phone: 00385 2041 6216
Guided walk at Varaždin Cemetery - highlights
XVI National Symposium of the Funeral Sector (Granada, Spain)
Funerary Architecture Symposium (Ravenna, Italy)
Guided Tour at Monumental Cemetery of Messina
Lectures at Kensal Green Cemetery and a Dickens Fellowship event
WDEC 2015 - Discovering the mysteries of Arenys de Mar Cemetery
AGM 2015 sign up
After the Annual General Meeting of our association an interesting conference will follow titled Foreigners in Significant Cemeteries. Check the programme at this page.
AGM 2015 - hotel reservations
WDEC 2015 - Night guided tour at cemetery of Sant Antoni Abat
WDEC 2015 - events at cemeteries in Maribor
WDEC 2015 - Culture cycle of Porto Cemeteries
WDEC 2015 - Virtual Tour of the Cemeteries in Ljubljana
WDEC2015 - Discovering Turin's Monumental Cemetery (Italy)
Family Grave: Brondelli di Brondello Artist: Giacomo Ginotti picture by: Simona De Pascalis |
WDEC 2015 - Night guided tour at at the Cemetery of Ciriego
WDEC 2015 - guided walk at Varaždin Cemetery
WDEC 2015 - Guided walk at historic Mõigu Cemetery
WDEC 2015 - Guided walk at the Old Cemetery of Podgorze
Municipal Cemetery of the Capuchins (Mataró, Barcelona)
About the cemetery
Basic data
Important graves and monuments
- Josep Puig i Cadafalch: He was born in Mataró and he was a “modernista” architect, the Catalan Art Nouveau, who designed many significant buildings in Barcelona like Casa Amatller, near the Casa Batlló, one of the most important buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí. Josep Puig i Cadafalch was the President of the Commonwealth of Catalonia (1917-24). He died in 1956 in Barcelona.
- Miquel Biada i Bunyol: He founded in 1848 the first railway line in the Iberian Peninsula and that connected Barcelona with Mataró. However, he died 6 month before the inauguration so he couldn’t see his work.
- Pantheon Marfà - Mesquera: Pantheon designed by Emili Cabanyes, 1906.
- Josep Castellà i Vilà: He was a boat captain who transported people to New York, Cuba and Mexico during the war between Spain and USA. He repatriated soldiers after de Cuba’s war. He died in 1916 in Barcelona.
- Domènec Rovira i Castellà: He was a young musician, an excellent pianist and the director of the Municipal Band of Mataró (1939-1944). He died in 1944, when he was 31 years old.
- Tomb of the International Brigades: Monument in memory for the international brigades that fought against fascism and dead in Mataró during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).
- Eugeni Pere Cendoya Oscoz: He was an important architect and disciple of Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who was highly influential on “Modernisme català”, the Catalan Art Nouveau. He died in 1975 in Barcelona. The sculptor was Frederic Marès, a famous sculptor who was made a lot of urban sculptures in Barcelona.
Cemetery address
Carretera de Cirera, 239,08304 Mataró
Barcelona
Spain
Contacts
Tel: +34 93 7574767Fax: +34 93 7986905
Email: administracio@cementirismetropolitans.com