Sihlfeld crematorium A

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Sihlfeld crematorium A

The Sihlfeld A crematorium, opened in 1889, was the first crematorium in Switzerland . It is located in the city of Zurich on the Sihlfeld cemetery in sector A and has served as a cemetery chapel for cemetery sectors A, C and E since 1936 . The Sihlfeld A crematorium was replaced by the Sihlfeld D crematorium in 1915.

history

The cremation was in Europe already in the ancient times and in the early Middle Ages been applied. In 785, Charlemagne declared burial as the only Christian type of burial, so that cremation was forbidden in the West for centuries . It was not until the end of the 18th century that the possibility of cremation was increasingly considered. The first crematorium in Germany was opened on December 10, 1878 in the main cemetery in Gotha . Johann Jakob Wegmann-Ercolani from Zurich wrote the text “The cremation of corpses as the most efficient method of burial” and held two public meetings in Zurich in 1874 on the subject, after which the Zurich Cremation Association was founded with the aim of introducing cremations in Zurich. For a period of 15 years, the association campaigned for cremation issues, so that this was legally permitted in Zurich and the first crematorium in Zurich could be built with the financial resources of the association. On June 15, 1889, the crematorium at the Sihlfeld cemetery was inaugurated according to plans by the city architect Arnold Geiser. The crematorium was operated by the association until 1900, and from January 1, 1900, the city of Zurich took over the crematorium at the Sihlfeld cemetery. Although the city undertook to build a new crematorium including urn niches within five years, it took until March 12, 1915 for the second crematorium to open in the Sihlfeld D cemetery. With its inauguration, the Zurich Cremation Association dissolved and the cremation in the Sihlfeld A crematorium was discontinued. In the years 1934 to 1936 the crematorium was purified and converted into a cemetery chapel. This happened under city architect Hermann Herter. A renovation took place from 1991 to 1992.

Building description

Location and appearance

The Sihlfeld A crematorium is located on the extension of Zypressenstrasse on the line of sight of the entrance portal of the Sihlfeld cemetery. It is a rectangular building that was built based on a Greek temple in a late classical architectural language. In front of the entrance to the crematorium there is an outside staircase , the front of the building was designed as a temple front , the side façades are rhythmized by wall pilasters . The technical rooms and the coke store were located at the rear of the building .

Original interior

Interior view with painting by Karl Walser

In the main rectangular room of the crematorium, the oven stood free in the room and was clad in a catafalque . The niches for receiving the urns were located on the long walls as a columbarium . At a farewell party, the mourners were standing in the room. The coffin was inserted horizontally into the oven to avoid any association with burial. The antique decoration of the furnace and the temple-like shape of the building formed a counterpoint to the modern technology of cremation.

Today's interior design

The exterior of the former crematorium has largely been preserved. In contrast, since the renovation and purification between 1934 and 1936, the interior has presented itself as a simple, longitudinally rectangular room. On the southwest side is the lectern , which was made of black stone. The only decorative element in the room is a painting by Karl Walser , which shows a mourning figure surrounded by five comforting angels. With their flight, three birds let the beholder's gaze wander skyward. In the upper part of the front wall there are sound slits behind which the organ of the abdication chapel is located.

organ

It is a pneumatic pocket organ made by Metzler Orgelbau , Dietikon, with twelve sounding stops on two manuals and a pedal . The organ is invisible to the audience in an organ chamber behind the front wall.

I Hauptwerk C – g 3
Principal 8th'
Gemshorn 8th'
octave 4 ′
flute 4 ′
Super octave 2 ′
II Swell C – g 3
Covered 16 ′
Covered (extension) 8th'
Salicional 8th'
Unda maris 8th'
recorder 4 ′
mixture 2 2 / 3 '
Fifth (excerpt) 2 2 / 3 '
Tremulant
Pedal C – d 1
Sub bass 16 ′
Covered (transmission) 16 ′
Capstan flute 8th'
  • Normal coupling : II / I, I / P, II / P
  • Playing aids : a free combination, manual storage rack 16 '

literature

  • Norbert Loacker and Christoph Hänsli: Where Zurich comes to rest. The cemeteries of the city of Zurich. Zurich 1998.
  • Dieter Nievergelt a. a .: The Sihlfeld D crematorium in Zurich. Swiss Art Guide No. 450.Bern 1989.
  • Nordheim crematorium. Management circle on November 6, 2009. Zurich 2009.
  • Frank Imhof: The Nordheim Crematorium. Expert opinion on the protection worthiness. Zurich 2010.

Web links

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

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Nordheim Crematorium. Management circle. Pp. 5-6.
  2. ^ Frank Imhof: The Nordheim crematorium. Expert opinion on the protection worthiness. P. 22
  3. ↑ Norbert Loacker and Christoph Hänsli: Where Zurich comes to rest. The cemeteries of the city of Zurich. P. 206.
  4. ^ Frank Imhof: Nordheim Crematorium. Expert opinion on the protection worthiness. P. 22.
  5. ^ Frank Imhof: Nordheim Crematorium. Expert opinion on the protection worthiness. P. 22.
  6. ^ Organ directory Switzerland and Liechtenstein, section Friedhofkapelle A Zurich-Sihlfeld. Retrieved August 13, 2015.

Coordinates: 47 ° 22 '30.1 "  N , 8 ° 30' 34.1"  E ; CH1903:  six hundred eighty thousand eight hundred and seventy-three  /  247684