Solna kyrka - och vackra Norra begravningsplatsen

Writer: Helena Bergström

Solna Church is a lovely little round church from the 12th century. Next to the church is Norra begravningsplatsen, which is surprisingly beautiful and peaceful to walk around. There is also Lindhagen Hill, with impressive mausoleums from another era.

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Solna church and Norra begravningsplatsen

This week we took the electric bikes on a trip to Solna Church and Norra begravningsplatsen. You might wonder why we chose a church and a cemetery as our destination, but everything pointed to it. Recently, our blog colleague Ditte a photo of Solna Church, and I reacted that I hardly knew if I had seen it, even though we live so close. Shortly afterwards, a neighbour told me about the very special grave monuments on Lindhagen Hill. 'And Peter's grandmother and grandfather are buried here.

Solna church

The oldest part of Solna Church, the roundhouse, was built in the latter part of the 12th century. Later, between the 13th and 15th centuries, a porch was added to the south, a rectangular chancel to the east, a nave to the west and a tomb on the south side of the nave.

The interior of Solna church

We made a visit to the church and were surprised by a beautifully decorated small church, where the history feels heavy in the walls. There are, among other things, medieval paintings from 1440 by the church painter Albertus Pictor. Much of the rest of the interior was created under the patronage of Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie in the 17th century. Restorations were also carried out in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Northern cemetery

Norra begravningsplatsen, located at Solna Church, is one of the largest cemeteries in Sweden. It is truly enormously large, and even though we got around on electric bikes, we spent several hours here. We have to say that visiting cemeteries is peaceful and beautiful, and this one is also extremely beautiful.

READ MORE: Hagaparken in Solna - castles, gazebos and pavilions
READ MORE: Skogskyrkogården in Stockholm - a Unesco World Heritage Site

Lindhagen's hill

We started with a visit to Lindhagen Hill. This is really a special place, where large and magnificent mausoleums have been placed next to each other in the green and mountainous nature. Apparently, the habit of building mausoleums had a renaissance in the early 20th century, and powerful families had large funeral monuments built in the classicism of the 1910s and 1920s.

Norra begravningsplatsen vid Solna kyrka

Directors and powerful men from the worlds of business, law and politics rest in the area, along with their families. Many architects have been involved in the design of the monuments, such as the renowned architect Gunnar Asplund.

It is peaceful to walk among the large tombs and statues. The environment is so different that it almost feels like a magical or mythical place.

Known graves at Norra Begravningsplatsen

Many famous people are buried at Norra begravningsplatsen. On Lindhagen Hill, for example, is the Bernadotte grave, where the descendants of Oscar Carl August Bernadotte (1859-1953) are buried.

Many other famous people have been laid to rest here at Solna Church, including Ingrid Bergman, Gösta Ekman, Siri von Essen, Per Albin Hansson, Ivar Krueger, Vilhelm Moberg, Alva and Gunnar Myrdal, Alfred Nobel, Jenny Nyström and August Strindberg.

Special buildings at the Northern Cemetery

As you move around the Northern Cemetery, you see one special building after another.

Northern chapel

The Northern Chapel was built in 1909 as Sweden's first permanent mortuary, the name of the crematorium at the time. Today the chapel is used for funeral ceremonies and has 160 seats.

Norra kapellet på Norra begravningsplatsen

The Great Grave Choir

At the eastern end of the northern cemetery is the Stora Gravkoret. This is a 60-seat chapel where funeral ceremonies are held.

Stora gravkoret på Norra begravningsplatsen

Wetterstedt tomb choir

In the oldest part of the cemetery there are several monumental tombs from the first half of the 19th century. For example, there is the Wetterstedt tomb in elegant late Empire style, designed in 1835 by Axel Nyström the Elder. Relatives of the Wetterstedt family are buried here.

Wetterstedtska gravkoret på Norra begravningsplatsen

More specialised buildings

There are also several other special buildings in the Northern Cemetery. In the Catholic cemetery there is a Roman Catholic chapel from 1901. The Jewish community's cemetery contains the Mosaic burial chapel, which has a Moorish design. There are also two monuments to the victims of persecution and the Holocaust. We did not see any of these buildings or monuments, which just shows how big the cemetery is. However, we did see the building below.

Family tombs

What about the grave we were looking for? Yes, after some searching we found Peter's grandmother and grandfather's grave. Nice to make a visit here.

Have you visited Solna Church?

Have you visited Solna Church, or is there another nice church where you live that you can recommend? Do you like visiting cemeteries, or do you not like it at all?

More to see and do in Uppland and Sweden

READ MORE: Things to do in Solna - 15 tips for activities and experiences
READ MORE: Churches in Sweden - 25 very beautiful Swedish churches
READ MORE: Experiences in Stockholm County - Norrtälje to Södertälje

17 Comments

Add yours →

Deciree says:

It was a nice church and a really nice cemetery that I did not know about... maybe because I am not from the area 🙂 Glad that you told me who rests there and that there were such great actors etc. it was interesting to see. Thank you for it:-)

03 June 2020 - 6:55

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Many famous people rest in this cemetery!
  
  03 June 2020 - 17:40
  
  - Olle says:
    
    The biggest and best motocross rider World Champion Håkan "carla" Carlqvist is buried here.
    
    04 January 2022 - 21:38
    
Ann-Louise Paulsson says:

Solna church is so nice! I went to a funeral there last spring and thought the church was so cute, both inside and out.

03 June 2020 - 8:21

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, it's nice, isn't it?
  
  03 June 2020 - 17:40
  
Ditte says:

What fun that you took a trip here. Solna church is so nice and has its history, I am confirmed here and both my parents' funeral services took place here - They also have their grave here in the beautiful Solna cemetery.
Norra begravningsplatsen is also very nice, but it is so large and very popular as a cemetery. You can end up there if you want, even if you don't belong to the Solna parish.
As for churches/cemeteries, I also recommend a trip to Katarina Church with its cemetery. Not as old as Solna church but still worth a visit. There, Anna Lind has her grave as well as Cornelis Vreeswijk, Tomas Tranströmer, Gösta Ekman (d.y.) KIm Anderzon and Putte Wickman, among others.

03 June 2020 - 9:04

JoY says:

In Solna Kyrka we had the funeral of my father, 5 years ago. A really nice little church.
The northern cemetery where my father is buried is really big. I understand that it was good with the electric bikes. When I lived in Hagalund and worked at Karolinska, I always went through the cemetery.
One time I was shot in the leg, lucky I was wearing jeans. Another girl was hit in the leg and was marked by the shot, which whizzed past. That was just a small parenthesis of what happened in that cemetery.
Have a nice sunny day

03 June 2020 - 9:34

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Shot at!?? Wow, that sounds violently dramatic! How could that happen? What happened?
  
  03 June 2020 - 17:41
  
bmlarsreseblogg says:

What a beautiful church and cemetery!
We enjoy visiting cemeteries, which are often both beautiful and atmospheric. We've been to Katarina Cemetery in the south several times.

03 June 2020 - 16:16

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  There is a special atmosphere in cemeteries, can be nice there we think! We have not visited Katarina cemetery. We have a lot of the south side of the city left to discover 😉.
  
  03 June 2020 - 17:42
  
BP says:

Although I lived in Solna for a while, I must admit that I have never visited Solna Church - oooops! Norra Begravningsplatsen, on the other hand, I have visited a number of times. I like cemeteries and their atmosphere. I also find these mausoleums fascinating.

03 June 2020 - 21:08

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It's easy to do! Same here, until just now then 😉.
  
  04 June 2020 - 18:34
  
Ruth i Virginia says:

What a beautiful church! Who is responsible for the maintenance, now that
Swedes are leaving the Swedish church in droves - or maybe
I'm wrong there?
Cemeteries are always interesting and usually beautiful.

I am so happy, that you make so many nice excursions on your trips.
electric bikes.

04 June 2020 - 3:52

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  I have no idea how much Swedes leave the church, but we're not particularly religious so it's possible. Don't really know how it works with the maintenance? Good question!
  
  04 June 2020 - 18:35
  
Lena - gott för själen says:

How beautiful! I find being in a cemetery both a bit eerie and beautiful. A special atmosphere somehow.

Hug Lena

04 June 2020 - 5:41

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It's certainly a special atmosphere, I agree!
  
  04 June 2020 - 18:36
  
Lasse says:

The skilled watercolour painter Fredrik Isberg is buried in Solna cemetery.
In his often small, very well done watercolours, he has depicted various places in Stockholm. Numerous watercolours depict Solna Church.
From time to time his fine watercolour studies appear at the auction houses, sign FI ( the letters in each other! )

14 April 2021 - 21:53

Solna church - and the beautiful Norra begravningsplatsen cemetery

Writer: Helena Bergström

Solna church and Norra begravningsplatsen

Solna church

The interior of Solna church

Northern cemetery

Lindhagen's hill

Known graves at Norra Begravningsplatsen

Special buildings at the Northern Cemetery

Northern chapel

The Great Grave Choir

Wetterstedt tomb choir

More specialised buildings

Family tombs

Have you visited Solna Church?

More to see and do in Uppland and Sweden

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17 Comments

Deciree says:

Helena says:

Olle says:

Ann-Louise Paulsson says:

Helena says:

Ditte says:

JoY says:

Helena says:

bmlarsreseblogg says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Ruth i Virginia says:

Helena says:

Lena - gott för själen says:

Helena says:

Lasse says:

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