Central Cemetery in Szczecin
Encyclopedia
The Central Cemetery in Szczecin is a municipal cemetery in Szczecin
, Poland. With an area of over 167,8 hectares, and still expanding, it is the biggest cemetery in Poland and the third biggest cemetery in Europe.
. It was formerly called the Hauptfriedhof Stettin (Stettin Main Cemetery) and was modeled on the Ohlsdorf Cemetery
in Hamburg
, Germany
. Even though it has been operating for more than 100 years, it is still in use, and it is a legally protected national monument.
The first part of the new cemetery was located in the fields on the eastern outskirts of the city. It was designed by Wilhelm Meyer-Schwartau, a prolific architect of Stettin. The composition of the greenery was designed by landscape architect Georg Hanning.
Wilhelm Meyer-Schwartau planned the layout of the new cemetery, and also designed a neo-romanesque central chapel and a monumental 77-meter-long main entrance gate. In total, there are eleven gates leading to the cemetery.
The Central Cemetery was intended as a picturesque park or memorial-garden. This goal was achieving through utilizing the natural features of the landscape. Most of the roads in the old part of the cemetery are curved and form a net of small circles. The main road, leading from the central gate to the central chapel, is flanked by old plane trees
.
The main chapel was destroyed in the fire of 1981 and took 13 years to rebuilt. In 1925, a crematory
was constructed next to it.Today there is only one chapel in the cemetery, facing a big decorative pool with a fountain. It forms the main axis connecting connects the east and west part of the cemetery.
The new – west part of the cemetery was created about 1930, on a site which had been used as a military training area. Most roads of this part of the cemetery are straight, running parallel to two natural streams which flow through the whole terrain. In this part of the cemetery in the 1930 there was also one chapel, modern in style, but it was demolished during The Second World War, and eventually pulled down in 1984. After Stettin became Polish
in 1945 and renamed Szczecin, the authorities rechristened the cemetery to its present Polish name.
On the site of the Central Cemetery there are many places of historical interest, such as a lapidarium
with old gravestones and grave sculptures, and an old windmill
(today converted into a garden centre). One of the quarters houses graves of notable individuals, such as artists and politicians. There are also monuments devoted to veteran
s, people who died at sea, unborn children and concentration camps victims.
The Central Cemetery in Szczecin is like a huge park in the centre of the city, with many old and different kind of trees and high shaped hedges made of deciduous or coniferous bushes. It is similar to a big botanical garden but not everyone, even in Szczecin, know about this original collection of trees and bushes.
Some parts of the cemetery are very natural, there are thickets and meadows. Especially the green belts located parallel to the streams. It is a very important ecological space for many little animals, birds and insects such as foxes, hares, hedgehogs, red squirrels, wilds ducks etc. In the cemetery there is also one educational board with photos of these wild animals and some information about them.
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
, Poland. With an area of over 167,8 hectares, and still expanding, it is the biggest cemetery in Poland and the third biggest cemetery in Europe.
History
The Central Cemetery in Szczecin was established in 1901 as a new and modern cemetery in what was then Stettin in GermanyGerman Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. It was formerly called the Hauptfriedhof Stettin (Stettin Main Cemetery) and was modeled on the Ohlsdorf Cemetery
Ohlsdorf Cemetery
-External links:* *...
in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Even though it has been operating for more than 100 years, it is still in use, and it is a legally protected national monument.
The first part of the new cemetery was located in the fields on the eastern outskirts of the city. It was designed by Wilhelm Meyer-Schwartau, a prolific architect of Stettin. The composition of the greenery was designed by landscape architect Georg Hanning.
Wilhelm Meyer-Schwartau planned the layout of the new cemetery, and also designed a neo-romanesque central chapel and a monumental 77-meter-long main entrance gate. In total, there are eleven gates leading to the cemetery.
The Central Cemetery was intended as a picturesque park or memorial-garden. This goal was achieving through utilizing the natural features of the landscape. Most of the roads in the old part of the cemetery are curved and form a net of small circles. The main road, leading from the central gate to the central chapel, is flanked by old plane trees
Platanus
Platanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
.
The main chapel was destroyed in the fire of 1981 and took 13 years to rebuilt. In 1925, a crematory
Crematory
A crematory is a machine in which cremation takes place. Crematories are usually found in funeral homes, cemeteries, or in stand-alone facilities. A facility which houses the actual cremator units is referred to as a crematorium.-History:Prior to the Industrial Revolution, any cremation which took...
was constructed next to it.Today there is only one chapel in the cemetery, facing a big decorative pool with a fountain. It forms the main axis connecting connects the east and west part of the cemetery.
The new – west part of the cemetery was created about 1930, on a site which had been used as a military training area. Most roads of this part of the cemetery are straight, running parallel to two natural streams which flow through the whole terrain. In this part of the cemetery in the 1930 there was also one chapel, modern in style, but it was demolished during The Second World War, and eventually pulled down in 1984. After Stettin became Polish
Potsdam Agreement
The Potsdam Agreement was the Allied plan of tripartite military occupation and reconstruction of Germany—referring to the German Reich with its pre-war 1937 borders including the former eastern territories—and the entire European Theatre of War territory...
in 1945 and renamed Szczecin, the authorities rechristened the cemetery to its present Polish name.
On the site of the Central Cemetery there are many places of historical interest, such as a lapidarium
Lapidarium
A lapidarium is a place where stone monuments and fragments of archaeological interest are exhibited - stone epigraphs, statues, architectural details like columns, cornices and acroterions, as well as tombstones and sarcophagi....
with old gravestones and grave sculptures, and an old windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
(today converted into a garden centre). One of the quarters houses graves of notable individuals, such as artists and politicians. There are also monuments devoted to veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s, people who died at sea, unborn children and concentration camps victims.
Monuments
The most known monument is Pomnik Braterstwa Broni (Monument of Brothers in Arms) made in 1967 designed by Sławomir Lewiński. It is a military monument, looking like hussar wings. The monument was situated on the hill on the main axis. From this place there is a beautiful view on the main chapel.The Central Cemetery in Szczecin is like a huge park in the centre of the city, with many old and different kind of trees and high shaped hedges made of deciduous or coniferous bushes. It is similar to a big botanical garden but not everyone, even in Szczecin, know about this original collection of trees and bushes.
Some parts of the cemetery are very natural, there are thickets and meadows. Especially the green belts located parallel to the streams. It is a very important ecological space for many little animals, birds and insects such as foxes, hares, hedgehogs, red squirrels, wilds ducks etc. In the cemetery there is also one educational board with photos of these wild animals and some information about them.