How accessible is actually the

cemetery as a green urban

space?
Margrete Skår, NINA
Katinka Horgen Evensen NMBU
 How accessible?
 How accessible appears
the cemetery for potential
users?

 Is the cemetery perceived

as an open space?

 How should the cemetery

be managed to appear as
an open, green urban
space?

www.nina.no
What about the non-users?

 55 short interviews
outside the two
cemeteries
 31 women
 24 men
 34 > 40 years old
 21 > 40 years old
 A multicultural
sample

www.nina.no
 Questions asked

 Why are you walking here, and not crossing

the cemetery?
 Do you usually walk inside the cemetery?
 Do you view the cemetery as a public space
open to all? Should you feel safe on the
cemetery?
 If time: attitudes towards use of the
cemeteries more generally.

www.nina.no
16 informants told that they 39 informants told that they visit
never visit the cemetery the cemetery, but not that day

Most of the non- Mainly practical

visitors argued that reasons for not
they do not have a trespassing the
grave to visit, and for cemetery that day.
that reason the area
does not feel available
to them.

www.nina.no
Respect for the place
To not visit a
cemetery is a way to
show respect for the
place, without
disturbing those who
are visiting graves.

‘We have to show respect. I

don’t think it should be allowed
just to walk across. … Yes, one
should only go there if you have
a grave to visit.’
(woman > 40)

www.nina.no
‘This place is not anything for me!’

www.nina.no
Creepy and unsafe
‘The place it’s a bit depressive’ (woman > 40)

‘I feel safe, but not when dark’ (man > 40)

‘I walk outside because it feels safer’ (woman < 40)

‘I am a buddhist and believe in respect for the dead. Ghosts

and souls avoid me to be there in the night time’ (kvinne >
40)

‘I’ve heard about some bag-snatching recently’

(woman < 40)

www.nina.no
Physical and mental fences
 ‘I don’t know any
entrance, but it
seems nicer to go
inside there than
here on the road’.

 ‘The first time, it was

like ‘hmm, can I go
here’? But now, we
go here for walks all
the time!’

www.nina.no
Public or private?
A public space that secure
people’s rights to bury their relatives

A well-kept cemetery works opening and

welcoming even for other users

‘Closed for me’ ‘An open green urban

space’

www.nina.no
Respect, safety and information

www.nina.no
Accessible?

Have a nice stay!

www.nina.no