Tag: cemetary

  • Glasgow – Necropolis

     

    I think it was around half past 6, I was already pretty exhausted (and a little bit wet, which I didn´t mind after the heatwave back in Vienna) but still, there was the one “thing” I didn´t want to miss – the Victorian cemetery Necropolis, up on a hill next to the Cathedral of Glasgow.

    glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands

    In 1650 the Merchants’ House bought the land, part of the estate of Wester Craigs, now known as the Glasgow Necropolis. As the west side was rocky and not able to be developed it was subsequently planted with fir trees and became known as Fir Park. However, in 1804, the Scots Firs in the park started to die and were replaced by mainly elm and willow and the area became a Victorian park and arboretum. In 1825 the foundation stone of the John Knox monument was laid in Fir Park. (Friends of Necropolis)

    glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands

    In 1831 the idea of transforming Fir Park into a Père Lachaise kind of cemetery was set into action by advertising a competition for the conversion in the newspapers. David Bryce of Edinburgh and his brother John Bryce of Glasgow won the first and second price, but the actual work was done by the landscape gardener George Mylne.

    So far the parish church had been responsible for burying the dead but with fewer people attending church, alternatives were needed. The laws were changed and “burial for profit” allowed. The Cemeteries Act was passed in 1832 and Necropolis officially opened in 1833.

    glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands

    This burial ground was always intended to be interdenominational and the first burial in 1832 was that of a Jew, Joseph Levi, a jeweller. In 1833 the first Christian burial was of Elizabeth Miles, stepmother of the Superintendent, George Mylne. After 1860, the first extensions east and south were to take up the Ladywell quarry and in 1877 and 1892/3, the final extensions to the north and south-east were constructed, doubling the size of the cemetery. (Friends of Necropolis)

    Over the years 50.000 burials have taken place and 3500 tombs have been built.

    glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlandsglasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands

    Even on such a dreary day, it was lovely to walk around Necropolis, even if you don´t have that soft spot for beautiful cemeteries like I have.  The view towards the city and cathedral isn´t too bad either.

    glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands

    glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlandsglasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlandsglasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands

    Necropolis is laid out like an informal park, the path slowly goes uphill to the summit where the (predated) John Knox monument is surrounded by larger monuments.

    glasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlandsglasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlandsglasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlandsglasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlandsglasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlandsglasgow, scotland, uk, cemetery, victorian, travel, my trip to the highlands

  • Friedhof Sankt Marx

    Let me take you to one of my favorite places in Vienna, the only still existing graveyard from the Biedermeier period in Europe: Cemetery St. Marx in Viennas third district. As soon as you enter the park you feel a certain kind of calmness and are at peace. It´s the perfect place to take a breath and give oneself a little time off, an isle of calm.

    friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart

    The cemetery was opened as one of five “communal graveyards” in 1784 following a decree by Emperor Joseph II that forbade further burials in cemeteries within the outer walls of the city of Vienna. At this time todays third district “Landstraße” was still only a small suburb.

    Quite a few famous artist were buried at St. Marx, like architect Josef Kornhäusel, world traveller Ida Pfeiffer, floral artist  Franz Xaver Gruber, the composers Franz Xaver Süssmayr, Joseph Strauss, Anton Diabelli and in 1791 after a funeral at St. Stephens Cathedral Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

    friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart

    Mozart was buried in a pauper´s grave, the exact location of his grave remained unknown for many years until 1855 when it is believed the grave was discovered. In 1859 Hanns Gasser built a monument there. This was later transferred to the group of honorary graves for musicians at Vienna´s Central Cemetery. A stone with Mozarts name was set on the empty space at St. Marx, later a “Mourning Genius”, a new stone tablet and a column were added.

    friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart

    When Vienna´s Central Cemetery opened in 1874 all the “communal graveyards” were closed. In the following decades the graveyard was more or less untouched and left alone, trees and bushes started to overgrow the stones. In 1922 it was decided to convert the five communal graveyards to parks – but some fighted for the conservation of St. Marx and the cemetery became a listed building. After some renovations the park was opened for the public in 1937.

    friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart

    Cemetery St. Marx has remained a public park until today – some years ago volunteers started again to renovate the gravestones and clear the area, it´s an ongoing project and I think they work very carefully and with lot of respect and love!

    friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart friedhof st. marx, cemetery, vienna, biedermeier, calm, still, allerheiligen, peace, mozart