This case study was created for the Cultural Heritage in Transformation course from RWTH Aachen University.
The Cemetery of the East, better known as the Père-Lachaise Cemetery is located in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, capital of France. With 3 million and a half of visitors each year, it is the most visited cemetery in the world, and also the most famous. Its history can be traced back to 1430, when it was originally a private property, before becoming a religious estate. In 1762, it was sold to the prefect of the Seine area, and was transformed into a public park in the 19th century. When a law was passed in 1765 to forbid burial grounds in the then intra muros Paris, the domain was selected to become a cemetery. It later took the name of Louis XIV’s confessor. French architect Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart was entrusted with its conception in 1804, but at first, its situation, far away from the city, prevented its development. It was only after 1815, when the prefect decided to move the remains of famous French writers Molière and Lafontaine, as well as the ones of iconic lovers Héloïse and Abelard, that the cemetery finally gained popularity, both for burials and visitors.
The main entrance, built in 1825 by architect Étienne-Hippolyte Godde, is of neo-classic architecture, showing the early connections of the site with architecture and art. It also became intertwined with the history of the French capital, as a critical location during the revolution of the Paris Commune in 1871. Several improvements were made during the last part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, including the addition in 1886 of a columbarium and of a crematorium. The neo-byzantine buildings were created by architect Jean-Camille Formigé. Some repairs were also needed after the damages caused by World War II. As of 2021, the Père-Lachaise Cemetery is still in activity. It is stretching on 43 hectares, making it the largest natural site of Paris. It contains more than 400 natural species, some of them rare and endangered. It counts 70000 funeral plots as well as numerous war and historical monuments dedicated to artists, religious communities and victims of Nazism.
The Père-Lachaise Cemetery has got an important place in French and International Cultural Heritage. Many art historians consider it as a museum for funeral art, especially its “Romantic Part”, known both for its aesthetic appeal and numerous tombs of internationally acclaimed artists. The Cemetery of the East doesn’t only have a tangible artistic value, its influence is also intangible, as it has inspired many other art forms, from literature and music to cinema and video games.
Yet, its protection and conservation are problematic. Exposed to the elements and the ravages of time, many sculptures, tombs and monuments are abandoned and decaying. The Père-Lachaise is partially protected by the Monuments Nationaux (French National Monuments Centre) since 1983, but only the buildings and common parts are the responsibility of the City of Paris and its maintenance department (Direction des espaces verts et de l’environnement aka DEVE). Indeed, funeral plots are still considered as private properties, even if the descendants are not able to ensure restoration, or deceased. Attempts have been made to protect some tombs considered of public artistic interest, but without concrete results. For example, the grave of British writer Oscar Wilde (built in 1911-1914) received a request for preservation in 1991, before being annulated. Since 2008, no further attempt has been made to fully protect and renovate the site on a local, national or even international (UNESCO) scale.
References:
Base Mérimée (French Architectural Heritage Inventory). French Ministry of Culture.
City of Paris – https://www.paris.fr/equipements/cimetiere-du-pere-lachaise-4080
Cuchet, G. (July-August 2020). « Visite au Père-Lachaise ». L’Histoire, n° 473-474 – https://www.lhistoire.fr/visite-au-p%C3%A8re-lachaise
Sénat. Funereal legislation – http://www.senat.fr/rap/r05-372/r05-37223.html
Legifrance. List of protected buildings as of 2008 – https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000020467755
Etlin, R. A. (1984). “Père Lachaise and the garden cemetery”. The Journal of Garden History, Volume 4 (Issue 3), Pages 211-222.
Jen Ripper Gori 