Turin has organized many cultural events for the wdec period and you can find all the details with dates and times at this link
Turin has organized many cultural events for the wdec period and you can find all the details with dates and times at this link
For this year's WDEC, the Italian cemeteries of the Association SEFIT Utilitalia, have produced a 56-page booklet highlighting the cemeteries' commitment to environmental sustainability and the fight against climate change and the cultural proposals grouped in a rich program of appointments and guided tours. Here is the home page of the SEFIT website.
Download the booklet here (google drive)
Celebrations of nature and biodiversity, along with recognition of cemeteries' significant impact on the urban environment, are present throughout the year at the Vienna Central Cemetery. Here are some of the events centered around environmental sustainability happening at the cemetery during the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2024 and beyond:
➤Photography Exhibitions
Admire photographs capturing the wildlife at cemeteries.
➤Bee-Friendly Initiatives
Learn about the role of bees and how cemeteries can support bee populations.
25.5.2024, at 10.00 am and 12.00 am
➤
Wildlife Photography Workshop
Participate in a photography workshop focused on capturing
wildlife at the cemetery.
8.6.2024, at 9.00 am
➤
Biodiversity at the Cemetery
Explore the biodiversity present
on cemeteries.
6.6.2024 and 14.6.2024, at 3.00 pm
➤
Urban gardening
Visit the workshop to learn more about
gardening.
15.6.2024, at 4.00 pm
➤
Nature Experience for Children
Children can join a special
guided tour that introduces them to nature on the cemetery grounds. It’s a
great opportunity for exploration and learning!
22.6.2024, at 2.00 pm
For more information and more events visit the website of Friedhöfe Wien and celebrate with us.
The guided tours will take place from 27 May 2024 until 2 June 2024 inclusive. The guide will meet you in front of Plečnik's propylaea at 17:00.
You will visit the famous Plečnik's Žale, which has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will also see the final resting place of Jože Plečnik and other famous Slovenians, the works of famous architects and sculptors, and other important parts of the Žale Cemetery, which is actually an open-air museum.
Žale Cemetery is one of Europe's most beautiful cemeteries, thanks to its high cultural, historical and artistic value. Many important personalities are buried in Žale Cemetery: poets, writers, sculptors, painters, composers, architects, actors, engineers, politicians, sportsmen, etc. It also contains many cemeteries from World War I. and World War II., as well as other memorials to famous architects and sculptors. It is also important as the city's second largest park and it is interesting in all seasons.
This year, the Association PODGORZE.PL invites you to a free guided walk around New Cemetery of Podgorze in Krakow.
The event on the topic "In the footsteps of famous people" will take place on Tuesday, 28 May 2024, at 18.00, starting at the main gate of the cemetery (Wapienna Street).
During the tour you will visit the graves of well-known people buried at this cemetery (actors, musicians, entrepreneurs and priests) and hear their stories. Our guides will be members and friends of Association PODGORZE.PL.
More on https://www.facebook.com/events/1412933576028502/.
➤ Friday, 31 May 2024
18.00: Guided tour “In the Shadow of the Cypresses” in the Alcoy
Cemetery by Guiarte con Arte.
Information and reservations: www.guiarteconarte.es or 650 59 42 32
Price:
10€ / person
➤ Saturday, 1 June 2024
11.00: Dramatized guided tour "In the shadow of the cypresses" by Guiarte con Arte.
Information and reservations: www.guiarteconarte.es or 650 59 42 32
Price: 12€ / person
19.00: Dramatized visit to the Cemetery by Lluís Vidal and Elisa
Beneyto, organized by the GR Alcoy Modernista in collaboration with CAEHA and AC Samarita.
Registration: alcoymodernista@gmail.com
Donation: 10€
➤ Sunday, 2 June 2024
10.00: Guided tour of the Monumental Cemetery of Alcoy by
Quality Tours Mariola.
Information and online reservations: www.qtmariola.com
Price: 15€ / person
11.00: Dramatized guided tour "In the shadow of the cypresses" by Guiarte con Arte.
Information and reservations:
www.guiarteconarte.es or 650 59 42 32
Price: 12€ / person
12.00:
Freemasonry route in the Alcoy Cemetery by Quality Tours Mariola.
Information
and online reservations: www.qtmariola.com
Price: 15€ / person
You can download the official flyer (in Spanish) with the program of events at the Sant Antoni Abat Cemetery at this LINK.
On 25 and 26 May, the 3rd edition of Cemeteries’ Spring will take place at the Laeken Cemetery in Brussels, Belgium. This year's theme: women and cemeteries.
Passionate guides will take visitors on a guided tour of one of the region's most beautiful cemeteries and pay tribute to those who have been forgotten, who have remained invisible or whose voices have not been heard enough. Along the way, people can enjoy the musical and poetic interludes of Amusea, a new artwork in progress by Maren Dubnick and some classical music by the 'Ensemble Oncques pareille'.
The event is completely free of charge. There are eight tours per day: four in French, three in Dutch and one in English. Reservations are required before 24 May 2024 via e-mail servicedespublics@brucity.be.
In addition to the cemetery, visitors can also discover the former Atelier Ernest Salu, which exceptionally opens its doors for this occasion. In this workshop, 3 generations of Ernest Salu have created many grave sculptures. It now houses a small museum on grave art.
You can find all details about the event on the website www.brussels.be or via Facebook.
The theme of this year's Conference is "Cemeteries as Cultural Spaces of European Remembrance". Presentations and panel discussions will focus on how cemeteries can become efficiently conveyed footprints of our joint European remembrance, tourism and education as well as park management and environmental sustainability due to continuous climate change.
More about the conference theme at this LINK.
Program presented is a draft version.
You can view the details of individual parts of the program by clicking on the part that interests you.
To mark the occasion, Ferrara Tua will offer a package of free guided tours, available in both Italian and English, lasting approximately 1h 30min.
The tours will be organized along three routes: "Stories of Ferrara", dedicated to personalities who have contributed to the development and storytelling of Ferrara; "The Seven Arts", in honor of writers, painters, and directors who, after international successes, returned to their hometown for their eternal rest; and "The Certosa Monumentale", a cross-sectional overview of the history, roots, and artistic heritage of the city's Open-Air Museum.
Friday, May 24th
Saturday, May 25th
Sunday, May 26th
Guided tours are curated by InFerrara and can be booked on the website https://www.inferrara.it/.
For information: 0532-419190.
Enriching the program are three unmissable musical events that will accompany the summer in Certosa with exciting notes and evocative atmospheres.
PIANO ESTENSE - DAWN PIANO CONCERT
Saturday, June 8th, from 6:00 am to 10:00 am
The magic of the dawn concert - part of the Piano Estense program - will envelop the gardens of the Certosa di Ferrara. The first light of day will intertwine with the notes of the piano played by young talents on multiple hands, in an immersive and evocative experience that will accompany the spectators until 10:00 am.
Entrance from Via Borso 1.
CARMINA BURANA IN CERTOSA: SUGGESTIONS AT SUNSET WAITING FOR THE PINK
NIGHT
Saturday, June 29th, at 8:00 pm
The sunset will be the backdrop for an exciting concert with the chamber version of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana". Produced by the Conservatorio Frescobaldi di Ferrara, the concert will feature an orchestra composed of two half-tail pianos, four percussionists, and a 60-element choir. The synergy between the two sections will give life to a performance of great impact.
Entrance from Viale della Certosa.
CERTOSA DAWN CONCERT
Sunday, July 7th, at 6:00 am
As tradition dictates, on the occasion of the Notte Rosa, a special event awaits music lovers at the Certosa di Ferrara. The protagonist of the dawn concert will be the pianist Gile Bae, who will offer a solo piano recital capable of exciting and involving the audience. Her notes will intertwine with the light of dawn, creating a unique and evocative experience. The Artistic Direction is by Ferrara Musica.
Entrance from Viale della Certosa.
The program was created in collaboration with the Municipality of Ferrara, ASCE, Utilialia - Sefit, InFerrara, Associazione Life, Teatro Comunale Foundation, Ferrara Musica, Conservatorio Frescobaldi.
It is gradually becoming a tradition in Merelbeke to participate in the international Week of Discovering European Cemeteries. This year you can go to four of the six cemeteries in Merelbeke for free guided tours. These will not be boring guides about grave styles and makers. Merelbeke's passionate guides will lead you past the graves of well-known and lesser-known Merelbeke residents. You will learn about the merits of these people for the community and unravel the funerary symbols on their tombstones.
Saturday, 25 May 2024
Sunday, 26 May 2024
Sunday, 2 June 2024
Meeting always at the entrance of the cemetery.
Guided tours are free of charge, but advance reservations are required. The groups are limited to 20 people so book your spot quickly at erfgoed@merelbeke.be or 0474 85 56 14.
More information about the guided tours available HERE.
*Photo source: www.merelbeke.be
In May and June, jacaranda trees paint the city of Lisbon in shades of purple. In the city's cemeteries, the jacaranda trees cover the mausoleums and graves with their purple flowers, creating a magical atmosphere.
In this first year of participation in the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, the Lisbon City Council proposes a series of visits that culminate in a weekend dedicated to jacarandas and their history.
For guided tours in English, please contact cemiterios.visitas@cm-lisboa.pt.
The Old Cemetery San Pietro, created as it was customary close to the homonymous church (an 11th century masterpiece of Romanesque art), experienced vicissitudes and history of the Sabaudian Avigliana. Well-known as a burial site since the 1500s, it remained unchanged until the early 1900s.
Below are some of the recent activities at the cemetery related to the environment, which the Association Friends of Avigliana is giving their devoted attention to.
In 2023, the Association Friends of Avigliana created a QR Code assisted path, leading visitors through both the cemetery and the church.
This sustainability-oriented project aims to provide guided visits without the use of paper brochures. It is being regularly updated by adding new information.
As for the cemetery guide, it consists of three parts: history, brief stories regarding characters from Avigliana and botanic heritage.
This nature path focuses on some plants and shrubs of particular botanical interest present in the cemetery.
We can see a beautiful tilia-tree (Tilia Vulgaris) lined walkway leading to the cemetery entrance.
This year the Association Friends of Avigliana is aiming to install a fully sustainable solar lighting system along this walkway.
Untill a few years ago, a nice cypress (Cupressus Sempervirens) was part of the cemetery’s greenery.
Unfortunately, climate change caused it to dry out. The Association Friends of Avigliana, in agreement with the Municipality, decided to transform it into a wood sculpture. On April 2nd, 2023, this work was inaugurated in the presence of the sculptor Mr Luca Germena, the mayor Mr Andrea Archinà and the President of the Association Mr Silvio Amprino. This is how the cypress lives on, and with its expression of peace and calmness invites to look at the sky with hope.
This work of art has no name, so visitors can interpret it their own way.
Here is the sequence of events:
You can find the entire original article HERE.
The Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, in cooperation with the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) and the European Institute of Cultural Routes is organising a Cultural Routes Training Seminar for National Stakeholders.
The event will take place on 19 and 20 June, 2024, in Vilnius, Lithuania.
ASCE president, Mrs Lidija Pliberšek, will attend the event as one of the distinguished guest speakers. She will present the European Cemeteries Route as an example of Cultural Routes good practice.
The program will cover following topics:
You can find the preliminary program of the seminar HERE.
The Carmes cemetery in Clermont-Ferrand, France, is a true open-air museum, condensing two centuries of artistic expressions and telling stories of Clermont's history.
The 9th edition of the Spring of Cemeteries event, taking place from May 24 to 26, 2024, will highlight the important female personalities who rest in the cemetery, including Cécile Cruzilles, who headed the famous candied fruit company. As part of the event, the City of Clermont-Ferrand is organizing a guided tour at the Carmes Cemetery.
On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, the Evangelischer Friedhofsverband Berlin Stadtmitte unveiled the results of completed restoration work on two remarkable historical grave complexes in the Kreuzberg cemeteries on Bergmannstrasse, along with their innovative repurposing concepts.
Superintendent Dr. Silke Radosh-Hinder dedicated the monumental grave site of the Löblich-Liebau Family at Alter Luisenstädtischer Cemetery to serve as an open-air chapel for funeral services.
The Kunzemann-Bornhagen Mausoleum, meticulously restored in the Dreifaltigkeit II Cemetery, now functions as a mourning farewell room. Here, relatives can spend precious additional time in a dignified ambiance bidding farewell to their departed loved ones.
Funding for these restoration projects was provided by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media (BKM), the Berlin State Monuments Office (LDA), and the German Foundation for Monument Protection (DSD), along with contributions from the Evangelischer Friedhofsverband of Berlin Stadtmitte.
Overall the refreshed Steering Committee held a successful and very productive meeting.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Cemeteries Administration of the City of Oslo for their warm hospitality and impeccable organization.
More details on the individual topics discussed at the meeting will follow in further communications.
This year ASCE’s annual Conference will take place on Friday, 20 September 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. The exact location will be announced shortly.
The upcoming Conference will focus on how cemeteries can become efficiently conveyed footprints of our joint European remembrance, tourism and education as well as park management and environmental sustainability due to continuous climate change. Remembrance and environment have always been topics many disciplines were interested in.
Therefore, Conference presentations may address (but are not limited to) the following main issues:
Both individual and panel submissions are welcome.
Anyone who would like to give a presentation at the Conference should submit an abstract of no more than 250 words summarising the intended paper, and a one-page CV using the form below. Applications for panel discussions should include the names of up to four participants.
Submission deadline: Friday, 17 May 2024
The editorial board will review the submissions and all accepted participants will be notified by 30 June 2024.
Individual presentations should last 15 to 20 minutes, panel discussion 30 to 45 minutes.
We are seeking speakers with practical knowledge or experience who can communicate interesting and diverse presentation to the international audience.
The conference language is English.
For any questions, please contact Anita Simon and István Kovács at budapestasce@nori.gov.hu.
The positioning of the funerary grounds to the west of the present-day Old City stemmed from the Napoleonic decree of 1806, mandating the establishment of public burial sites beyond populated areas. Seeing the need to locate the cemetery outside the city walls, the Municipality of Taranto purchased the garden of San Brunone in 1819. This was the land surrounding the eighteenth-century Certosa di San Bruno, named after San Brunone, the founding saint of the Carthusian order. It was only later, after the existing olive grove on the farm owned by the Nitti family was uprooted, did the garden become a cemetery.
The first arrangement of the area took place in 1827. This was followed by the realization of the general project by the architect De Florio between 1837 and 1839. In 1845, the mayor Francesco Lojucco equipped the cemetery with a chapel, a surrounding wall, and a road. The following year it was decided to dedicate a space outside the cemetery fence (on the north side), for the burial of the deceased of other religions, including children who died without having received the Sacrament of Baptism. In 1885 Archbishop Monsignor Jorio contributed to the increase of the cemetery with another area, part of which was reserved for the burial of the bodies of the members of the Metropolitan Chapter.
There are numerous monumental tombs of great artistic value present in the Taranto cemetery. Some are dating back to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, such as that of the D'Ayala family or the Raffo brothers, Stefano and Vincenzo, originally from Genoa, who died in Taranto while working there. The sculptural depiction of these individuals is very realistic in its plasticity, particularly due to their clothing from the beginning of the last century. It is no coincidence that it is considered the most beautiful Mausoleum in the cemetery.
We must not forget the Municipal Gallery with its wonderful colonnade nor the noble and private chapels of the Brotherhoods and Mutual Aid Societies which tell the story of the art of the last two centuries. We can find them above all in the main avenues with styles ranging from neo-Gothic, neo-Byzantine, Art Nouveau and even neo-Egyptian.
Moreover, the epitaphs, epigraphs, and symbolic motifs adorning these monuments are worthy of a careful examination. Intricate bas-reliefs, such as the inverted Latin cross, the upside-down torch, the hourglass without sand positioned horizontally and the sunflowers with bowed heads they indicate that there is no more life. A particularly poignant epitaph, conceived by the poet Diego Marturano during his lifetime for his own tomb, resonates with timeless wisdom: "One thing is certain, the carnival ends and everyone becomes a miserable mortal again".
Until the 1960s there was also a tall stele surmounted by a skeleton representing death kidnapping man in the main avenue of the cemetery. It was replaced by the plaster statue of the Redeemer, which today is located at one of the side gates and it is made of bronze.
In the monumental part of the cemetery, various historical and war memorials are preserved. On the central avenue you can see the Monumental Cross created on 22 April 1928, with stone from Monte Grappa, to remember the Tarantino fallen in the Great War.
In the Memorial of the Navy, the mortal remains of approximately 800 soldiers fallen in war are buried, including the German soldiers of the UC12 submarine and the 248 members of the battleship Leonardo Da Vinci, which sank on the night of 2 August 1916 in the waters of the Port of Taranto by raiders of the Austrian Navy. They are remembered with the original memorial stone coming from the ship.
On the west side there are the English and French cemeteries, which host the soldiers of these nationalities who fell during the First World War (the French ones were moved back home).
*Photo source: Google Street View
The first city cemetery was built at the end of the 19th century in a big area in the east part of the city, out of the historical wall, due to its natural characteristics. Although the area was large, after only 10 years from its construction the space was already full of graves. Therefore the Municipality approved the project for the new Monumental cemetery composed of three parts: the historical courtyard, the first extension and the latest extension.
The historical courtyard was realized between the 19th and 20th century. It has a cruciform plan with an entrance called Famedio, a space which collects the cenotaphs of the most famous people of local history, and a little church opposite to the entrance. Facing inside is a large perimeter wall with arcades, each dedicated to a family with a representative sculpture or painting and a grave on the floor below.
The 1st extension was realized between 1945 and 1955, due to an increase of population. The perimeter wall has a C shape plan in order to connect the cemetery with future extensions. The architectural language is similar to that of the historical courtyard but only at first sight. Under the arcades are placed nomore family monuments but simple loculus and ossuaries.
The 2nd extension was realized between 1965 and 1988. It is composed of 3 floors (ground floor, first floor, and basement) with arcades at the ground and first floor facing the inside and outside. The structure is built in reinforced concrete, with a contemporary architectural language, based on simplicity and functionality.
The cemetery has always had a laical connotation, in order to house the graves of people with different religious beliefs. Beyond two buildings dedicated to cremated people, there is a space called “Farewell Room”, a rounded space inside of a glass cube, devoid of religious symbols. People of other religions, such as Muslims, have two fields already available for their burials, while an Islamic association is currently building its own ossuary.
There are different types of artworks inside the cemetery. The oldest artworks are a series of maiolica tiles, placed on the entrance wall, coming from the former cemeteries of the churches of Pavia (17th and 18th century). Beside these, there are also many paintings and sculptures that reflect the sensitivity of the local families and at the same time the ability of the artists of that time.
Family chapels are not the only element of interest in the monumental cemetery. Like in many monumental cemeteries, some important people are buried here such as: Camillo Golgi, a medician who won the Nobel prize for medicine, and the first Italian man winning this award; Angelo Lanzoni, an engineer and the inventor of the reinforced concrete; Lazzaro Spallanzani, a biologist now considered the father of the artificial insemination, etc.
Lastly we can find also some Civil Monuments: the tower of the 1st crematorium, 1901, designed by Angelo Savoldi; the ossuary of the fallen during the World War I, 1930, designed by Hermes Balducci; the ossuary of the fallen during the World War II.
In the first half of the 19th century, as the village began to expand, there arose a need for a second cemetery. The original burial grounds had become overcrowded, and a new resting place was designated on the outskirts of the village. This became known as the second cemetery, located in the southwestern region of the village. In those times, the community was primarily involved in agriculture, with many families raising cattle. To safeguard this new cemetery from the grazing cattle, a protective fence was erected around its perimeter.
The cemetery comprises an older section, where weathered stone crosses mark the final resting places of generations long past. Over time, this hallowed ground became the chosen resting place for the village's more prominent figures, including mayors and community leaders.
Locals have a unique saying, suggesting that in death, one goes to the lilac. This phrase originates from the tradition of planting lilac bushes near the graves. However, with an increasing number of people emigrating abroad, the lilac bushes have grown to cover over half of the cemetery's expanse. As a result, finding a specific grave in the second cemetery can prove to be challenging sometimes.
An interesting custom takes place at the cemetery every year, a week after Easter. The entire village gathers at the cemetery to honor the departed, cleaning and adorning graves with fresh flowers. They bring red eggs, sweet bread, and gifts to the cemetery, uniting in remembrance. The priest leads prayers, candles are lit, and wine is poured onto graves. Presents are distributed to the needy, emphasizing charity and unity. The day concludes with a communal meal, strengthening bonds and honoring traditions.
The cemetery described boasts a unique blend of architectural and landscape design elements that hold cultural and symbolic significance for the community.
The steel gate, designed and crafted by a local artisan, stands as a prominent architectural feature and serves as the portal to this sacred ground. Adorned with crosses, it assumes a dual role in the funeral ceremony, signifying both entry to the cemetery and a place of ceremonial importance.
The wooden crucifixions add another layer of significance to the cemetery's design. One is prominently situated at the entrance, acting as a spiritual guidepost for visitors. Others are strategically placed at the crossroads within the cemetery, symbolizing spiritual guidance in the journey of the departed souls. The combination of renovated and original crucifixes tells a story of time's passage and the preservation of tradition.
Historically, a chapel once graced the main entrance of the cemetery. However, due to age and financial constraints, it was demolished. The desire to rebuild a chapel now drives a crowdfunding initiative within the village. The restoration of this religious structure is a testament to the community's commitment to preserving its spiritual core and providing a dedicated space for mourning, reflection, and ceremonies.
The graves themselves bear a distinct design feature, each marked by a cross and a rectangular mound of earth. The rectangle mirrors the shape of a coffin and can be made from concrete, steel, or stone. This design unifies the graves, creating a sense of order and continuity in the burial ground. The inclusion of cross markings reaffirms the religious and spiritual essence of the cemetery, symbolizing the enduring connection to faith.
Another important facet is the tradition of planting flowers and trees at each grave. This landscape design element reflects the cycle of life and the ever-renewing connection between the living and the deceased. The vibrant blooms and foliage represent the continuity of memory and life's beauty even in the solemn setting of a cemetery.
Being the second of its kind in the village, the cemetery holds a profound historical significance. It stands as a testament to the community's enduring relationship with its departed members and the passage of time. Within its hallowed grounds rests the oldest grave, dating back to the 18th century. This time-honored site is a repository of historical and ancestral connections, a poignant reminder of the village's deep-rooted traditions and the passage of generations.
Furthermore, this cemetery serves as the final resting place for a Romanian pilot who met a valiant yet tragic end during the tumultuous period of the First World War. The presence of the pilot's grave underscores the village's historical link to international events and its willingness to pay tribute to those who have made sacrifices on behalf of their country.
In summary, this cemetery is a repository of both local history and international connections, bridging the past and the present. It reflects the enduring respect and remembrance bestowed upon those who have played significant roles in the village's narrative in the course of history.