History of the Old cemetery in Uppsala

Dating from the 17th century and with its trees and beautiful avenues, the old cemetery is centrally located in Uppsala.

A visit here provides an insight into the past and past communities and social conditions.

The cemetery covers about 18 hectares, with just over 14 000 burial sites.

The older part of the cemetery

The cemetery was originally a cemetery for the poor located outside the city centre. Along the present Cemetery Street there was a row of barns and cattle grazed among the graves.

Those who could afford it, provided the grave with an iron fence, to protect against unwelcome guests. Many of these fences are still present, now as an ornament.

The cemetery became the main cemetery of the Cathedral perish and in 1794 it was decided that funerals would not be allowed in the city's churches or in the city itself.

This was also the case of the Helga trefaldighet perish, which was given a special section in the cemetery (beside the current English park).

The newer part of the cemetery

This part was added around the year 1900 when land west of Villavägen was acquired, which became the foundation of the so-called Meadow Cemetery.

The last enlargement took place 1959.

This includes the chapel of Stillness, the memorial grove and the memorial site of the victims of the Estonia catastrophe.

Chapels

The old burial chapel was built in 1882 – 1883 and was designed by architect Carl Axel Ekholm. It replaced an older chapel, which has been in roughly the same place.

The last burial took place 1973.

The Chapel of Stillness, located in the never part of the cemetery, was built 1961–1963 and was designed by the architect Gösta Wikfors.

The chapel holds 90 people and is an open, bright chapel with interiors in soft colors that spreads peace and quiet.

The graves of the student nations

It is the graves of student nations in the cemetery. The oldest descended from the end of the 18th century. In earlier times there was no safety net for students and the nation often had to replace this. It was also expensive and cumbersome to return a deceased person to the home parish.

Many who rest here are young students who have died during their studies in Uppsala. But it can also be officials of the nation or others associated with it.

The memorial site of the Estonia catastrophe

The place was built in honour of those who died at the Estonia shipwreck on 28 September 1994. The municipal Board of Uppsala and the Cultural Board decided that a memorial site should be established in the old cemetery.