Last Landscapes : The Architecture of the Cemetery in the West

Last Landscapes is an exploration of the cult and celebration of death, loss and memory. It traces the history and design of burial places throughout Europe and the USA, ranging from the picturesque tradition of the village churchyard to tightly packed'cities of the dead', such as the Jewish Cemetery in Prague and Père Lachaise in Paris. Other landscapes that feature in this book include the war cemeteries of northern France, Viking burial islands in central Sweden, Etruscan tombs and early Christian catacombs in Italy, the 17th-century Portuguese–Jewish cemetery'Beth Haim'at Ouderkerk in the Netherlands, Forest Lawns in California, Derek Jarman's garden in Kent and the Stockholm Woodland Cemetery. It is a fact that architecture'began with the tomb', yet, as Ken Worpole shows us in Last Landscapes, many historic cemeteries have been demolished or abandoned in recent times (notably the case with Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe), and there has been an increasing loss of inscription and memorialization in the modern urban cemetery. Too often cemeteries today are both poorly designed and physically and culturally marginalized. Worse, cremation denies a full architectural response to the mystery and solemnity of death. The author explores how modes of disposal – burial, cremation, inhumation in mausoleums and wall tombs – vary across Europe and North America, according to religious and other cultural influences. And Last Landscapes raises profound questions as to how, in an age of mass cremation, architects and landscape designers might create meaningful structures and settings in the absence of a body, since for most of history the human body itself has provided the fundamental structural scale. This evocative book also contemplates other forms of memorialization within modern societies, from sculptures to parks, most notably the extraordinary Duisberg Park, set in a former giant steelworks in Germany's Ruhr Valley. Last Landscapes is an exploration of the cult and celebration of death. It traces the history and design of burial places throughout Europe and the USA, ranging from the picturesque tradition of the village churchyard to tightly packed 'cities of the dead,' such as the Jewish Cemetery in Prague and Pere-Lachaise in Paris. Other landscapes that feature in this book include the war cemeteries of northern France, Viking burial islands in central Sweden, Etruscan tombs and early Christian catacombs in Italy, the 17th-century Portuguese -- Jewish cemetery 'Beth Haim' at Ouderkerk in the Netherlands, Forest Lawn in California, Derek Jarman's garden in Kent and the Stockholm Woodland Cemetery. It is a fact that architecture 'began with the tomb', yet, as Ken Worpole shows us in Last Landscapes, many historic cemeteries have been demolished or abandoned in recent times (notably the case with Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe), and there has been an increasing loss of inscription and memorialization in the modern urban cemetery. Too often cemeteries today are both poorly designed and physically and culturally marginalized. Worse, cremation denies a full architectural response to the mystery and solemnity of death. The author explores how modes of disposal -- burial, cremation, inhumation in mausoleums and wall tombs -- vary across Europe and North America, according to religious and other cultural influences. And Last Landscapes raises profound questions as to how, in an age of mass cremation, architects and landscape designers might create meaningful structures and settings in the absence of a body, since for most of history the human body itself has provided the fundamental structural scale. This evocative book also contemplates other forms of memorialization within modern societies, from sculptures to parks, most notably the extraordinary Duisberg Park, set in a former giant steelworks in Germany's Ruhr Valley. Last Landscapes Is An Exploration Of The Cult And Celebration Of Death. It Traces The History And Design Of Burial Places Throughout Europe And The Usa, Ranging From The Picturesque Tradition Of The Village Churchyard To Tightly Packed 'cities Of The Dead', Such As The Jewish Cemetery In Prague And Pere-lachaise In Paris. Other Landscapes That Feature In This Book Include The War Cemeteries Of Northern France, Viking Burial Islands In Central Sweden, Etruscan Tombs And Early Christian Catacombs In Italy, The 17th-century Portuguese-jewish Cemetery 'beth Haim' At Ouderkerk In The Netherlands, Forest Lawn In California, Derek Jarman's Garden In Kent And The Stockholm Woodland Cemetery. The Author Explores How Modes Of Disposal - Burial, Cremation, Inhumation In Mausoleums And Wall Tombs - Vary Across Europe And North America, According To Religious And Other Cultural Influences. And Last Landscapes Raises Profound Questions As To How, In An Age Of Mass Cremation, Architects And Landscape Designers Might Create Meaningful Structures And Settings In The Absence Of A Body, Since For Most Of History The Human Body Itself Has Provided The Fundamental Structural Scale. This Evocative Book Also Contemplates Other Forms Of Memorialization Within Modern Societies, From Sculptures To Parks, Most Notably The Extraordinary Duisberg Park, Set In A Former Giant Steelworks In Germany's Ruhr Valley.--book Jacket. 1. Living With The Dead -- 2. Landscapes And Meanings -- 3. Death's Compass -- 4. Cities Of The Dead -- 5. Libraries In Stone -- 6. A Walk In The Paradise Gardens -- 7. The Disappearing Body -- 8. A Place At The End Of The Earth. Ken Worpole ; Colour Photography By Larraine Worpole. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 214-217) And Index. Last Landscapes explores death and the landscape of the cemetery. The picturesque village churchyard; the tightly packed "historic cities of the dead" such as the Jewish Cemetery in Prague; the war cemeteries of Northern France; the modernism of the Stockholm Woodland Cemetery; the graveyards of North America -- in discussing the history and culture of these architectural expressions of memory and loss, Ken Worpole also -locates the national, religious and romantic attitudes they express. This evocative book, which also examines the contemporary memorialization of artists such as Rachel Whiteread and Ian Hamilton Finlay, contains more than 100 color pictures. Imprint page 6 Contents 7 Introduction 9 1 Living with the Dead 17 2 Landscapes and Meanings 39 3 Death’s Compass: The Society and Ecology of the Churchyard 65 4 Cities of the Dead 81 5 Libraries in Stone 101 6 A Walk in the Paradise Gardens 135 7 The Disappearing Body: Burial, Cremation and Landscape Form in the Twentieth Century 155 8 A Place at the End of the Earth 179 References 203 Bibliography 216 Acknowledgements 220 Photographic Acknowledgements 221 Index 222