Rosengarten cemetery

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crematorium

The Rosengarten cemetery is a cemetery in Aarau . It is located in the Zelgliquartier south of the old town. The crematorium in the middle of the cemetery is listed as a cultural asset of national importance .

history

The municipal cemetery of Aarau was originally located next to the city ​​church until it was moved in front of the Laurenzentor in 1541 (today's Casino Park). Due to the further expansion of the city, it was moved to its current location on Rosengartenweg. In the years 1870 and 1890 the cemetery area was expanded. From 1905 onwards, the Aargau Cremation Association sought to build a crematorium. A first project designed by Jacques Kehrer did not meet with approval, so the association turned to Albert Froelich . His project was presented in 1908 and was implemented between 1910 and 1912, Julius Schwyzer contributed the sculpting work, Werner Büchli the decorative paintings. In 1919 two flanking pavilions were added. The interior paintings were painted over in the 1940s, but were reconstructed in 1983–1985. In 1987 the building was granted monument protection status.

In 1958 there were discussions for the first time about expanding the crematorium, which had become too small. After the municipal assembly approved a corresponding project in 1964, a rear-attached abdication hall was built in 1967/68 according to plans by the architects Barth and Zaugg . It was extensively renovated in 2007/08 in accordance with monument conservation criteria and also placed under protection.

investment

In the center of the crematorium is a domed structure with irregularly laid, embossed masonry made of yellowish limestone . The building combines Romanesque , Byzantine , Egyptian and Doric forms, which is intended to develop a markedly monumental effect. A portico with a gable field above forms the main facade and at the same time the access to the open vestibule. An eight-sided vaulted dome with a drum, which originally served as the fireplace of the incinerator, rises above this structure. The entrance to the vestibule is via an outside staircase flanked by two sphinxes . Dark blue iron-studded door leaves lead into the abdication hall. The dome is enclosed by two side wings on an angular floor plan. The courtyards thus created serve as columbaria for the urn graves.

Modern abdication hall

The new pavilion-like abdication hall, which connects to the rear of the crematorium, is a single-storey steel frame building with a fully glazed curtain wall , which, with its geometrically clear structure, is in the architectural tradition of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe . The floor plan of the hall is based on a square grid with a side length of 2.4 meters. The long side comprises 15 such fields, the narrow side nine, creating a rectangle with the proportions of the golden section . The supporting columns are arranged at a distance of three fields each. The main entrance is three fields wide, the two side entrances one field each. The grid of the glass facades is divided into horizontal rectangular fields with an aspect ratio of 1: 2 by profiles made of chrome-nickel steel . The furniture supplied by USM U. Schärer Söhne in Münsingen has largely been preserved.

In the cemetery, among others, are Albrecht Rengger , Johann Rudolf Rengger , Hans Herzog , Emil Isler , Friedrich Frey-Herosé and Heinrich Zschokke buried. A memorial created by F. Oboussier in 1919 commemorates the interned French soldiers who died in Aarau during the First World War.

literature

  • Othmar Birkner : Aarau. In: Society for Swiss Art History (Hrsg.): Inventory of the newer Swiss architecture. INSA. 1850-1920. Cities. Volume 1: Aarau, Altdorf, Appenzell, Baden. With an introduction to town and town planning in Switzerland 1850–1920. Orell Füssli, Bern et al. 1984, ISBN 3-280-01509-X , pp. 79–170, here pp. 155–156.

Web links

Commons : Aarau Crematorium  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 47 ° 23 '17.3 "  N , 8 ° 2' 49.5"  E ; CH1903:  645941  /  248767