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Copyright © 2006 Martin Sammtleben, All Rights Reserved
Vegetation
Hólavallagarður cemetery has a great variety of trees, bushes and perennial plants. Photographs reveal that little vegetation existed there at the beginning of the last century, although that changed around 1920. When the trees were planted probably no-one had high hopes for their future given the harsh, Icelandic climate and nowadays many trees have grown to – for Icelandic standards – gigantic sizes. As can be seen in the panorama, it’s not uncommon to find massive trees growing on a tiny plot and covering up the gravestone.
Thorvaldsen’s Reliefs
Guests to Hólavallagarður cemetery often remark on the number of reliefs by Albert Thorvaldsen on the gravestones. From approximately 1880 to 1920, these were on most gravestones in the cemetery. Most common are Dagur (Day) and Nótt (Night), although the cemetery also contains examples of ten other rare reliefs by Thorvaldsen.
The gravestones in the foreground show examples of Nótt, in which the allegorical female image of night glides through the sky and clutches to her bosom her children Svefn (Sleep) and Dauði (Death). An owl – bird of the night – circles above. The female figure has poppies in her hair, common symbols of death.
See Wikipedia’s article on Thorvaldsen
For more images of this wonderful location you might also want to check out the companion page and my other contribution.
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