Oct
Europe, Photo Essays, Travel Destinations, Travel Inspiration
Photo Essay: Understenhöjden and Skogskyrkogården
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When I visited Stockholm in July, I wanted to explore some sites outside the city center.
A perfect opportunity presented itself in the form of Context Travel’s Green City Tour. The tour takes you to Understenshöjden, Stockholm’s very own eco-village, and Skogskyrkogården, a UNESCO World Heritage site and famous cemetery.
As a company, Context is perfect for intellectual travelers who want to deeply understand a new location. All of Context Travel’s tours are led by experts holding advanced degrees, and to enhance the experience even more, the company only accepts small groups.
In this photo essay, I will take you on a visual tour to both Understenshöjden and Skogskyrkogården – which you ought to visit on your next trip to Stockholm.
Onward!
Snapshots of Understenhöjden
Understenshöjden is an eco-village located in Björkhagen, Stockholm. To reach it, you simply use Stockholm’s extensive and quick metro system. Yes, you read that correctly. No need to purchase extra train or bus tickets. Just hop on the metro.
The eco-village first started as a green project in the 1990s. Today residents still inhabit the 44 homes located in this peaceful suburb. Bound together by a meaningful cause, there’s a communal atmosphere in Understenshöjden unlike any other.
Honestly, guys, I fell in love with Understenshöjden. Not only is the village environmentally sustainable and the people friendly, but you can pretend you’re a part of Tolkien’s Hobbiton while you stroll throughout the village. Who wouldn’t love it?
Views of Skogskyrkogården
Skogskyrkogården is a cemetery created to blend seamlessly with its forested surroundings. The architects, Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz, designed the cemetery to mimic the complicated feelings that create the mourning process. One example is Lewerentz’s staircase. The steps gradually become less steep as you climb the central hill. This construction is meant to reduce the visitors’ fatigue – both physical and mental – and the view at the top is simply spectacular, beautiful.
Additionally, Skogskyrkogården houses some seriously beautiful and unique gravestones, including the final resting place of famous actress Greta Garbo. Woodland Chapel and Chapel of Resurrection are also worth visiting, provided no funeral services are in progress at the time of your visit.
To reach the Woodland Cemetery, you can also use the metro system.
