Urban Cemeteries—Places of Multiple Diversity and Challenges. A Case Study from Łódź (Poland) and Leipzig (Germany)

Andrzej Długoński, Diana Dushkova and Dagmar Haase
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Andrzej Długoński: Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, 01-815 Warszawa, Poland
Diana Dushkova: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
Dagmar Haase: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, 04318 Leipzig, Germany

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 5, 1-22

Abstract: This article presents a pilot study investigating the multidimensional diversity of cemeteries as an important element of cultural heritage and green infrastructure within the urban landscape. We studied the state and diversity of nature, perceptions, and activities of visitors. As religion is an important aspect that differentiates cemeteries from each other, we studied a sample of four multi-confessional urban cemeteries in Łódź (Poland) and Leipzig (Germany) by using site observation and a questionnaire survey. We found that cemeteries are far undervalued as public green resources that can perform important functions in sociocultural life and the mental well-being of the general public, as the perceptions of silence- and contemplation-seeking visitors tell us. The perception of cemeteries depends on the level of secularization, varying from a sacrum sphere up to specific recreational and touristic opportunities; findings that should be considered by town planners when optimizing the cultural ecosystem services of green spaces.

Keywords: ecosystem services (ES); urban cemeteries; biocultural diversity (BCD); urban green infrastructure (UGI); questionnaire survey; Leipzig; Łódź (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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