Photo exhibition "Significant cemeteries for sustainable Europe"

The company Pogrebno podjetje Maribor, presiding member of ASCE, has prepared a special photo exhibition at Pobrežje Cemetery in Maribor, Slovenia.

About the exhibition

The exhibition "Significant cemeteries for sustainable Europe" showcases photographs and descriptions of some good practices developed by ASCE members as part of the ASCE "Significant cemeteries for sustainable Europe" initiative, which promotes the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The installation presents the initiative, highlights activities implemented by nine cemeteries across Europe in 2024 and 2025, and also features the Peace Tree Project along with the cemeteries that have joined the project so far. These examples demonstrate how European cemeteries are actively working towards sustainability, addressing various aspects from environmental management to community engagement.

More than just a display of good practice, the exhibition seeks to raise awareness and inspire action. It invites visitors to see cemeteries not only as places of remembrance but also as key actors in sustainable development. By sharing these stories, it encourages communities across Europe to adopt similar approaches and reflect on sustainability in everyday life.

This long-term exhibition, located in front of the chapel at Pobrežje Cemetery in Maribor, Slovenia, is on display from September 2025 onwards.

Photos of the exhibition

*The entire photo album of the exhibition is available HERE.

WDEC 2025 in Madrid

The 2025 Madrid Book Fair highlights Europe’s Cultural Routes through a special photo exhibition, featuring the European Cemeteries Route among others.

About the exhibition

On June 1, 2025, the annual Madrid Book Fair was officially inaugurated and will continue welcoming visitors until June 15 in the iconic Retiro Park. This year’s edition not only celebrates literature but also shines a spotlight on European cultural routes.

In order to give visibility to the cultural routes in Spain, highlight their European dimension, and showcase the work carried out by each route, an exhibition has been installed along the Paseo de Coches del Retiro. It features various panels dedicated to different cultural routes of the European Community. Among the displays is one representing the European Cemeteries Route, illustrated by the striking image of The Kiss of Death (one of the most photographed funerary sculptures in Europe) located in the Poblenou Cemetery in Barcelona.

This project aligns with the ASCE Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, drawing attention to cemeteries not only as resting places but also as open-air museums that reflect artistic, historical, and social legacies.

All Saints Day 2024: Cultural activities in Barcelona

For this year's All Saints Day, Cementiris de Barcelona organized unique events at city cemeteries.

First night route at Sarrià Cemetery

The Sarrià Cemetery night route was offered for the first time, allowing visitors to discover one of the lesser-known cemeteries in Barcelona. 

Through remarkable pantheons, participants learn about the history of the ancient town of Sarrià and its connection to Barcelona. We also learned about notable figures from the worlds of culture and science who have made their mark on history, along with other fascinating details about one of the city’s smallest cemeteries. 

The walkway was marked with candles.

Live Music of Cors Clavé

On 1 November, at 11:30 a.m., a concert was held in homage to Josep Anselm Clavé, with the choirs Agrupació Coral La Pau from Barcelona and SC Les Veus de la Virreina from Tiana performing at Clavé's tomb in Poblenou Cemetery.

Mexican altar at Poblenou Cemetery

Mexican funeral traditions are culturally rich, and Mexican altars play an important role in households to commemorate deceased family members. A Mexican altar was organized in memory of Josep Anselm Clavé on the 150th anniversary of his death.

The tree of remembrance

We invited everyone who visits the Poblenou Cemetery to hang a card with a message for a loved one they would like to remember and pay tribute to.

Inauguration of the exhibition "Cementiris Tàpies"

"Cementiri Tàpies" is part of an artistic and educational project that combines artistic creation with arts education, paying tribute to Antoni Tàpies, a renowned artist closely connected to the city of Barcelona.

The exhibition "Cementiri Tàpies" is part of the international "Cementiris" project by artist Ricard Huerta. The aim is to highlight cemeteries as valuable heritage sites, emphasizing heritage education. The creative aspect addresses the need for university students to engage with these sites, rich in heritage and memory.

At each location where the exhibition and publication are presented, a universal figure is chosen to represent the theme. Antoni Tàpies, a key figure for Barcelona and an influential artist and theorist, serves as this figure. Ricard Huerta’s paintings are based on Tàpies' writings, particularly passages that reference death, cemeteries, and memory, integrating Tàpies into the "Cementiris" project. This exhibition not only reaches students but also engages the public, making it a tribute to Tàpies.

The exhibition opened on October 25 at 4 p.m. and will be available for viewing until January 12, before moving to Les Corts Cemetery and eventually to Poblenou Cemetery.

"The whisper of the (paper) models" event and a literary contest

Attend a special event at the Cemetery agli Allori in Florence, Italy, on June 10, 2024, and participate in an engaging literary contest.

About the event

On June 10, 2024, at 9 PM, a special event titled "The Whisper of the (Paper) Models" will take place at the Cemetery agli Allori in Florence, Italy, as a tribute to Giovanni Battista Giorgini and to celebrate the essence of “Made in Italy”. The event will feature a contemporary dance performance, a flute performance, a recital, an exhibition, a poetry reading, and more.

You can find the entire program HERE.

Literary contest

Additionally, don't miss the literary contest “Incipitojo {ad uso di starvi a fantasiar}”. Based on the outdoor exhibition of imaginary book covers, taking place at the Cemetery agli Allori and the English Cemetery in Florence, we invite you to craft literary works inspired by these covers.

Submissions should be no more than 5.400 characters, including spaces, and must be sent by July 14, 2024, to www.incipitojo.it/concorso. Participation is free, and the awards ceremony will take place on October 24, 2024, at the Gabinetto Scientifico Letterario G.P. Vieusseux.

WDEC 2024 at the Drenova Cemetery

The Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2024 in Rijeka, held from May 14 to 31, was dedicated to the horticulture at Rijeka's largest cemetery, Drenova.

Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change

The theme of this year's Week of Discovering European Cemeteries was "Environmental sustainability and climate change".

Members of ASCE and other European cemeteries are determined allies in the collective fight against climate change. For years, they have been working on mitigating its effects through a wide range of actions and initiatives that demonstrate a strong commitment to the environment. Their activities include responsible use of fossil fuels and water, integrating renewable energy sources, respecting the biological diversity of cemetery plants and fauna, improving native vegetation, responsible waste management, and electrifying their vehicle fleets.

This year's WDEC aimed to raise awareness about the importance of addressing climate change through various events and activities, showcasing different ways in which cemeteries and their visitors can contribute to reducing the negative impact on the environment.

Week of Discovering European Cemeteries in Rijeka

The Week of Discovering European Cemeteries in Rijeka was celebrated from May 14th to May 31st.

The program began on Monday, May 14th, with the grand opening of an exhibition displayed on pedestals along Korzo. The exhibition introduced residents and visitors to the rich horticulture of Rijeka's largest cemetery, Drenova, highlighting its connection to the natural environment.

Horticulture is a valuable aspect of every cemetery, receiving special attention in maintenance, landscaping, and enhancement. Our cemeteries serve as urban parks. The diverse horticultural species, carefully planned and arranged, invite visitors to enjoy relaxing walks. These spaces create intimate areas enriched with vibrant colors, shapes, and scents, as well as numerous geometric forms of plants that intertwine and complement the diverse terrain, creating an extraordinary natural dynamic within the cemetery.

The program continued on Monday, May 27th, at 6:00 PM with a tour of the Drenova Cemetery, accompanied by musical performances by students of the Ivan Matetić Ronjov Music School under the guidance of their mentors. The event also featured a display of photographs of plant species and an educational walk led by Mr. Goran Huljenić, mag.ing.silv., from Urbani šumari d.o.o. Novo Čiče.

The remaining days were reserved for individual visits and cemetery tours, assisted either by the ARTOUR  mobile application or the brochure available at the following links:

• English brochure
• Croatian brochure

Event photos:

WDEC 2024 at the Montjuïc Cemetery

Cementiris de Barcelona has organized a special exhibition which presents their efforts to mitigate environmental impacts.

The issue of climate change

This year's Week of Discovering European Cemeteries highlights the important issue of climate change through various events and activities, showcasing different ways in which cemeteries and their visitors can contribute to reducing environmental impact.

According to the United Nations, climate change refers to long-term changes in temperatures and weather patterns, which can result from natural causes or human activities.

The acceleration of climate change is driven by the emission of “greenhouse effect” gases generated by the combustion of fossil fuels. Adapting to these new conditions is very difficult for both nature and human societies.

Exhibition at the Montjuïc Cemetery

Cementiris de Barcelona has organized an exhibition installed at the Montjuïc Cemetery, which presents the initiatives they have undertaken to mitigate these negative effects and the measures adopted to reduce environmental impact. All visitors and schools participating in cultural visits and educational activities at the Montjuïc Cemetery will attend this exhibition.

In June 2024, Cementiris de Barcelona will hold a special conference to delve deeper into these issues. Throughout the year, they will also take this exhibition to most other cemeteries in Barcelona.

The longest outdoor gallery in Vienna

A large photo exhibition, created as part of the project "Biodiversity in the Cemetery", is now on display at the Vienna Central Cemetery.

About the exhibition

Vienna Central Cemetery now offers a new attraction: Peter Hanke, City Councillor for Finance, Economy, and Vienna Municipal Utilities, along with Renate Niklas, the Managing Director of Friedhöfe Wien GmbH, opened the longest outdoor gallery in Vienna. It shows animal photographs that were created as part of the research project "Biodiversity at the Cemetery".

The research project was initiated more than two years ago by the University of Vienna in collaboration with Friedhöfe Wien GmbH. Over time, extensive data on animals, plants, and fungi were collected, and fascinating photographs were produced. The exhibition of these images now makes the diverse wildlife on the city's cemeteries visible to all visitors of Vienna Central Cemetery.

Importance of cemeteries for city's climate

"The area of the 46 municipal cemeteries constitutes about 1.2% of the entire city's area. This is roughly equivalent to the size of the 20th district of Vienna. The design of these areas has a significant impact on the city's climate and also serves as an important habitat. We are proud to protect the areas of the 46 municipal cemeteries and the animals that inhabit them to the best of our ability. Vienna's longest outdoor gallery shows in pictures the extent of biodiversity on Vienna's cemeteries," emphasized Hanke.

Renate Niklas expressed her gratitude for the excellent collaboration with the University of Vienna and project leader Thomas Filek: "The interim results underscore the importance of detailed design even in these spaces. People who have a grave on our cemeteries, plant and maintain it with greenery, make a significant contribution to flora and fauna, as well as the city's climate."

Sustainability measures have been derived from the research results, such as the creation of deadwood corners for insects and small animals. The gallery itself is also sustainable: The scaffolding was crafted from local larch wood anchored in the ground with earth spikes.

Excursion with an educational mission

The images displayed in the gallery highlight the growing importance of protected habitats and retreats for animals in an increasingly urbanized environment. All people – Viennese residents, families, school and kindergarten groups, as well as tourists – can visit the gallery until approximately mid-2024. Admission is free.

The longest outdoor gallery in Vienna begins at the entrance to Gate 2 at Vienna Central Cemetery. It leads along two green strips to the Cemetery Church of Saint Karl Borromäus.

The cooling potential of cemeteries

The gallery as a destination for excursions emphasizes that cemeteries are more than just burial sites. Their design has a significant impact on the environment, from reducing tropical nights to the potential for rainwater infiltration. Recently, the results of an AIT study on the cooling potential of cemeteries were published. More information is available HERE.