In 1994, UNESCO decided that Skogskyrkogården should be a world heritage site. Skogskyrkogården is an unusual world heritage site because it is a cemetery that is still in use and not very old.
Skogskyrkogården is an outstanding example of how architecture and a designed cultural landscape from our century have merged into a cemetery. This creation has had a great influence on the design of cemeteries around the world.
The United Nations organization UNESCO decides which places in the world should be world heritage sites. The world heritage sites are listed on a list that in 2024 contains 1,223 places in 168 different countries. The world heritage sites are both cultural heritage and natural heritage.
Skogskyrkogården, Swedish UNESCO Council’s website
Skogskyrkogården, Unesco World Heritage Centre’s website in English
Learn more about world heritages
The World Heritage Convention
There is an agreement between countries that deals with protecting special places in the world. The agreement is called the World Heritage Convention and dates back to 1972.
World Heritage, UNESCO’s website
World Heritage Sites in Sweden
In Sweden, the National Heritage Board and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency coordinate the work on Swedish world heritage sites. They also propose which places Sweden should include on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites. Sweden has 15 world heritage sites (2023).