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When in 1994 the Woodland Cemetery in Stockholm was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, it immediately made me wonder if perhaps there was an acute shortage of more worthy sites. The cemetery is lovely, green and big, but it’s just that – a cemetery. The lady at the Stockholm Tourist Office tried her best to convince me it was worth a visit. But when asked what was so special about it (my favorite question to annoy tourist office employees the world over) she gave me a typically Swedish blank stare.
“Well, Greta Garbo is buried there,” she finally mumbled. And that was it. She couldn’t tell me anything about the supposedly exquisite blend of architecture and landscape planning. She couldn’t tell me anything about the cemetery’s history, and she didn’t know the opening hours of its visitors’ center. No brochures on the subject were available either. Great.
And that’s how one early morning last week I found myself boarding the number 18 subway train (direction: Farsta) heading for Skogskyrkogården, which to make things easier is also the name of the station where you need to get off. Finding the cemetery is easy as well – just exit the station and turn right.
I arrived at the main gate at 9AM badly needing to pee, only to find out that the visitors’ center didn’t open until 11AM. Having no other choice but to take a photo of the posted map (no small maps available at the entrance) I began my search for a restroom. The first location was locked due to water damage, the second didn’t even have a note explaining why it was closed. The third had a sign with opening hours of 11AM to 4PM during weekdays (hmmm, and just what are people supposed to do outside those hours and on weekends?) and a helpful note directing me to the visitors’ center. Which was also closed. Finally, just when I was pondering doing my business in the woods, I found an open toilet opposite Skogskapellet. You’d think that a UNESCO World Heritage site in a major European city would be better prepared for the needs of tourists… But anyway…
On the other side of Skogskapellet was the reason for my trip – the grave of Greta Garbo.
photo: Anna Etmanska
After visiting Ms. Garbo, I went exploring further into the woods with the plan to see the “Muslim Quarter”. Alas, my plan was interrupted by a funeral in progress. The Woodland Cemetery is still very much in use and I can only imagine the discomfort of grieving relatives being watched by wandering, clueless foreign tourists.
When at 11:15AM the visitors’ center was still closed, I gave up and headed towards the exit. On my way out I met a group of French girls, who wanted to know where the toilets were.
Skogskyrkogården is a really lovely place to visit. I’m sure it would have been an even lovelier place to visit with a bit of proper tourist-oriented planning on the part of its management.
And just so you know, the visitors’ center is only open during summer – this year it closes on September 7.
Tags: cemeteries, Skogskyrkogården, Stockholm, Sweden, World Heritage sites
I am sorry that was hilarious! Did you ever find a restroom? I have never been to Stockholm, but I really do want to go there simply because my grandfather did research there in the late 60s and eary 70s. He always speaks so highly of it. Would love to hear more from you about it!
Anna, I was laughing out loud but partly because it all sounded painfully familiar, arriving at your destination in need of toilet facilities and nothing obviously available. Then instead of being able to enjoy what you have come to see you spend time getting frustrated and increasing desperately in search of relief.
I’m beginning to think of the scenario as a a personal holy grail, defined as “A difficult or near-impossible goal that would prove to be a major benefit” by http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Holy_Grail
Why oh why aren’t there more decent public toilets open long hours in all locations?
Hi Yankee!
You want more Stockholm? And you shall get it, too! I promise!
Karen,
and what about those really expensive toilets? I don’t know how it is in the UK, but here some cafes charge for using the facilities even if you’re a customer.
Anna, I’ve never heard of cafes in the UK charging customers to use the toilets but nothing would surprise me, a bit like some travel companies charging you to pay by debit card,
Went to this cementery yesterday (10/4/08) since i am temporarely working in Sweden a Swedish co-worker told me about this place and I headed that way, took the Green Line T-Bana and in less than 3o minutes I arrived.
This place is overwhelmingly beutiful, I have seen a lot of natural beauty in my life this is unequal to anything else. I wish I would have know about the Muselim quarters, I love to visit that.
Teresa, thanks for telling us about your visit which you seem to have enjoyed even although the Visitor Centre must now be closed.
[...] another coincidence Anna Etmanska of the Europe a la Carte blogging tean wrote about the Skogskyrkogarden cemetery, burial site of Greta Garbo, where she also had great trouble locating the toilet facilities. [...]
I feel your pain. Because I had the same experience. In the same place.
Finally, I stumbled upon a toilet. But not before seriously considering peeing in a cemetery that also doubles as a world heritage site.