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Klagenfurt: Urn cemetery in the middle of the city center

Cathedral priest Peter Allmaier, city councillor Sandra Wassermann and project manager Erich Oberdorfer at the urn site.

(Bild: MT)

In spring 2024, a cemetery will be built in the middle of an Austrian city center for the first time. The deceased can then be buried in organic urns north of Klagenfurt Cathedral. By creating this oasis of peace, relatives will be able to stay in the bustling city center even after death.

"There are many cemeteries in Klagenfurt, but a new type of burial site is needed! For 200 years, cemeteries have been increasingly pushed out of the inhabited settlement areas, which was necessary for hygienic reasons. Now the aim is to bring them back. It is not about a topographical change, but about bringing the cemetery back into the area of the people and the church and not pushing the deceased into a peripheral zone. In this way, they remain alive in our minds," explains cathedral priest Peter Allmaier. 

"The living and the deceased use the same space"
A new organic urn cemetery is to be built in the garden north of the cathedral church in spring 2024. For the first time in centuries, it will once again be possible in Klagenfurt to bury the deceased in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral church. "This will promote a sense of community and togetherness, as both the living and the deceased will use the same space," says the cathedral priest.

The plan for the urn cemetery

(Bild: Abel und Abel)

Such a space is now being built in Klagenfurt. Almost 600 unused square meters will be renovated for the general public. In the central grass area, the deceased will be buried in urns made of corn starch, which will decompose after three years. The names of the deceased are inscribed on small plaques on a golden brass fence erected around the perimeter. 

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Funeral project with economic benefits
The renovation of the almost 600 square meters will not result in any new land consumption. What's more, it will even revitalize the old town: "Funerals generate revenue for restaurants or flower stores, for example," says city councillor Sandra Wassermann. Incidentally, burial at the "Paradies am Dom" organic urn cemetery is possible for everyone - regardless of religion, origin or gender. "There is a one-off charge of 2100 euros for the usage fee, name plaque, grave opening, grave closure and urn burial."

This project will create another meeting place in Klagenfurt. It is a place where people can carry their grief, but also feel hope as a grieving family member.

Stadträtin Sandra Wassermann

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Digital grave search
The organic urn grove will also be included in a digital grave search. "If, for example, a deceased school friend is buried here and you want to light a candle for them, the digital grave search can help," says Councillor Wassermann. This location also offers complete accessibility and sufficient transport connections. Reservations are already possible. The cemetery will open in spring 2024.