Once, this tranquil park was a bustling graveyard. It is Stureparken. Today Stureparken is a peaceful green space in Stockholm’s Östermalm borough. But its history is far from serene.
Let’s journey back to the 17th century. This land was then known as “Kongel: Amiralitetz Nye Kyrckegårdh”. It was a graveyard for the navy’s boatmen. These boatmen died fighting against Denmark.
The burial ground was practical. It was surrounded by a simple plank fence. A bell tower stood nearby. Generous donors paid for the bell to toll. It tolled “f\u00f6r alla lijk utan betalningh” for all corpses without payment.
The navy relocated to Karlskrona in the 1680s. The graveyard became a pauper’s cemetery. During the plague of 1710 countless victims found their final resting place here. New layers of soil were added to accommodate the many dead.
Even as late as 1834, during a cholera epidemic, bodies were buried here. Some years later improvements were made. A new fence was erected. The old corpse house was tarred. Twelve berry bushes were planted. Three hundred elm bushes and some German maples also found a home here.
The pauper’s cemetery remained until 1866. About 10,000 people were laid to rest here. In the 1880s the area was re-planned. There were plans to build a church or school. But instead, it became a public park. The park was named Stureparken after the new Sturegatan street.
The graveyard fence was torn down in 1905. Today Stureparken is a protected ancient monument. During construction work in Stureparken bones are often found. This still makes headlines today.
Stureparken took shape in 1906. It sits at the corner of Östermalmsgatan and Sturegatan. Stureparken is surrounded by impressive 19th-century buildings. These include Björken 18, designed by Fredrik Dahlberg and Rosenborgshuset, designed by Ferdinand Boberg.
So next time you stroll through Stureparken remember its past. This peaceful park was once a final resting place for thousands. It is a reminder of Stockholm’s layered history. It is a place where life and death intertwine.