Life in the realm of the dead

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The main entrance to the Sihlfeld cemetery: in 1958 the Zurich city council took the decision to convert successive parts of the cemetery into a public park space. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Cemetery etiquette: jogging, barbecues, loud music and dogs are banned. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

The rooms in the entrance portal were once used for urban projects or as artists’ studios. Today they house the Cemetery Forum, an “Office for the Last Journey”, which deals with the concerns of relatives and with the cultural side of death. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Rows of gravestones are situated in the oldest part of the cemetery. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

The increasing popularity of communal graves has meant fewer rows of graves. This has freed up more areas of the cemetery, as they will not be needed for burials in the foreseeable future. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

The green spaces in this special area are well used. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Zurich city council staff tend to the area and prepare the grave sites. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

The cemetery is a true biotope and provides an outstanding ecological habitat for both plants and animals. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Children from a daycare centre go for a walk. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Listed last resting places can be rented, but may not be re-named. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Children up to the age of 12 are laid to rest in their own row of graves. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Many well-known personalities of the 19th and 20th centuries have been laid to rest at the Sihlfeld cemetery, including the author Gottfried Keller. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

The diversity of plants and the area’s quietness create a unique oasis. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Burials and concerts take place in the former crematorium. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

This part of the cemetery is used only as a park. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

Nature has been allowed to spread and take over old burial sites. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

A young woman practices juggling without being distracted by the rows of urns. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

The emotional vibe of the cemetery is special and often serves as the backdrop to films and photo shoots. Ester Unterfinger

The width of the area is impressive – with a view of the Prime Tower in the background. Ester Unterfinger/swissinfo.ch

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The Sihlfeld cemetery is the largest continuous green space in downtown Zurich. It was built in 1877 as the city’s first denomination-neutral cemetery.

Measuring 200,000 square metres, it is open 365 days a year. The cemetery contains 10,600 plots and there are some 245 burials every year. These days 90% of the deceased in Switzerland are cremated.

The first two crematoriums in Switzerland were installed at the Sihlfield cemetery. In 1890, the poet Gottfried Keller was one the first prominent people to be cremated there. The crematoriums have been out of use since 1992 and now serve as rooms for funeral services.

In addition to being a last resting place for the dead, the cemetery is also being increasingly used for the living. It serves as a recreational area suitable for cultural and educational activities, and as a backdrop for movie and theatre performances.