One thing that’s true of the grand cemeteries of Europe is that they often contain the graves of famous artists, writers, musicians, philosophers, politicians, and more. Assistens Cemetery is no different. Although this cemetery first started as a burial site for poor people (in fact, “assistens” was a term for additional burial sites to help with overcrowding in the main ones), over time it became fashionable to be buried here. While most of the famous people buried here would really only be known to Danes, there are two that stand out – Hans Christian Andersen, writer of many works but most well-known for his fairy tales, and Soren Kierkegaard, the first existentialist philosopher. And, like many famous people buried elsewhere, their gravestones are quite simple affairs, so much so that you might pass them by if they were extensively marked and pinpointed on maps and within the cemetery itself.
I normally try to be consistent with this blog and keep things in black and white, but sometimes colour is necessary, as is seen with the little red squirrel with big ears, the beautiful cherry and apple blossoms all over the cemetery, a wood cut that looks like a city skyline, and some pens left for a writer. The cemetery itself seems more like a park or garden, as there are many sections that don’t have gravestones, and instead just trees, flowers, or bushed to mark the final resting place or memorial of people who have passed away. In fact, as 90% of Danes get cremated, many are often put into anonymous burial plots that have no markers whatsoever. Families know where the plot is, but not the exact location of the urn. In any event, it may explain why so much of the cemetery is a green space, with so few monuments. Like my recent trip to Scotland, there seemed to be quite a number of profiles, often in bronze, and sometimes marble, of the deceased on many of the gravestones. My favourite is of the lady who has a large bird hanging out above her – is it a turkey? a peacock? I don’t know, but I love it. There were of course, more stylized reliefs, showing grief or sorrow. Quite a number of gravestones had circular pendants featuring angels in different poses (I put a couple below), or more stylized crosses/flowers/etc. I also found a beehive symbol – maybe an old type of Danish homestead? – on a number of markers.Monuments: Quite a number of interesting ones, especially on the right side of the cemetery (where Kierkegaard is buried). The Hans Christian Andersen side is more park-like with fewer monuments.
Grounds: Surprisingly extensive, but flat and well-maintained so it’s easy to get around. Some spaces are quite open, others have more tree cover, which can be good when you get unexpected rain showers.
Visitors: Quite a few, as this is basically a park for the locals where people go running, cycling, and just generally hanging out. The chapel is now a cultural centre with many events. This cemetery features in every tourist list about the city, and as it is near the tourist heart of downtown, it’s not surprising to see other visitors here.
Notes: There are a number of benches throughout the park, and most of the green spaces outside the centre burial area are open for picnicking and sunbathing, so it is an important green space for locals. That said, those same locals seem to like to smoke a lot, as every time I wanted to sit somewhere it always seemed to be that that’s where the smokers were. I suppose in warmer weather there would be more options available.
DETAILS
Site: Assistens Kirkegard
Established: 1760
Notable Internments: Hans Christian Andersen, Soren Kierkegaard, Niels Bohr, Hans Christian Orsted, Ben Webster, Kenny Drew
Location: Kapelvej 4, in the Norrebro district. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the same metro station.
Hours: 07:-00-22:00 daily
May 6, 2019 at 05:50
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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