Zorgvlied (cemetery)


Zorgvlied is a cemetery on the Amsteldijk in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on the left bank of the river Amstel. The cemetery was opened in 1870 by the city of Amstelveen which still owns and operates it, though since 1896 it is located within the boundaries of the city of Amsterdam. One of the country's best-known cemeteries, it is notable for the large number of celebrities, especially from the literary and theater worlds, buried there.

History

The cemetery takes its name from the villa on whose grounds it is built. The design, by Jan David Zocher, is in the English garden style. Zorgvlied was expanded in 1892 by Zocher's son, Louis Paul Zocher, and again in 1900, 1919, and 1926, when it became a burial place for the upper classes who had often been buried in Westerveld in Driehuis. An atrium was added in 1930.

Notable monuments

Perceptions of death and burial have changed considerably. After the 1994 burial of Manfred Langer, whose monument features him holding a glass of beer, some burials have become more extrovert. After a dispute over the burial of visual artist Peter Giele, the board of directors of Zorgvlied set aside a special area, called Paradiso, for monuments with extraordinary appearance or dimensions.

Rijksmonuments

The cemetery itself, as well as a number of grave sites, were added to the list of Rijksmonuments in March 2008:

A