Urngravplats

Urngravplats is a burial plot in a cemetery designed for cremated remains (urnor). It is intended for interment of ashes rather than a full burial in a casket. In an urngravplats, one or several urns may be placed in a grave, and the site is typically marked with a memorial stone or plaque for one or more individuals.

The layout varies between cemeteries. Some urngravplatser consist of individual grave spaces arranged in rows with a shared or separate headstone; others use smaller niches or a central memorial area where names are inscribed. The overall purpose is to provide a durable, supervised resting place suitable for families and friends.

Management and rights: The cemetery authority holds the right to use the grave (gravrätt) for a defined period, in accordance with national or local regulations. After the term ends, the grave can be renewed, relocated, or converted to another form of memorial space, depending on local rules.

Advantages and context: Urngravplats is often more space-efficient and can be more economical than a traditional full burial plot. It aligns with the preferences of many who choose cremation and want a formal burial with a name marker. In many countries, including Sweden, urngravplatser are common in municipal and church-run cemeteries. Similar concepts exist under different terms, such as kolumbarier (columbarium structures) or shared grave areas.

See also: cremation, gravrätt, minneslund.