Down ETERNITY IN THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

The Magnificent Seven consists of seven cemeteries, namely Kensal Green, West Norwood, Highgate, Abney Park, Nunhead, Brompton, and Tower Hamlets as the most recently added in 1841, as a continuation of the effort to move the cemetery from the back garden churches in London.

When the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901), difficult to continue this tradition, especially in London which is increasingly congested due to a population of only one million to 2.1 million inhabitants exploded in the early 1800s, so the graves are no longer able to accommodating bodies. Some bodies then many are stacked in a single pit tomb, so then there is a fear it could spread dangerous bacteria into the sewers. Therefore, the civil service London subsequently led to the idea to mimic the largest cemetery in Paris Pere Lachaise Cemetery, where graves once functioned as a park and activity center residents. Thus began a major construction projects over the seven public cemetery in London in 1832. The name The Magnificent Seven had just used to dub this cemetery seventh complex in 1981, which is taken from the title of cowboy-themed 1960 movie starring Steve McQueen.

As the tomb of Public Space

Seventh funeral here decorated with elements of Anglo-Saxon Christian with distinctive symbols, such as crosses, vessel, and the figure of an angel. Among The Magnificent Seven, the funeral of my favorites is Highgate Cemetery, North London, for not only here can learn history in a fun way, but also many tombs famous personalities here, such as the philosopher Karl Marx, novelist George Eliot (pen name of author Mary Ann Evans but is written on the gravestone is Mary Ann Cross), poet Christina Rosetti, novelist Douglas Adams, and sculptor Anna Mahler. Because of the importance of this cemetery, the British government has set Highgate Cemetery as a historic building Grade I.

The Magnificent Seven in London designed to fulfill four functions, namely as a historic relic, green land, education, and leisure. Although I included a coward, but entered Highgate Cemetery is far from being entered into a horror movie set. Visitors in and out of this place with a relaxed, some pushing strollers, and some brought their dogs walk, apart from the occasional looks residents cycling. Because this is the view of the considerable success so Highgate combines the four elements of the tomb in London as aspired prajanya officials in the 1830s.

A cemetery that is popular among tourists with admission of four pounds, during his visit to Highgate, I had a chat with the caretaker of the tomb-friendly and attractive with a uniform clad Highgate Cemetery Trust, a foundation cemetery manager who employs permanent staff and hundreds of volunteers. From it I learned that someone buried in Highgate charged were very expensive because it requires a tomb care costs up to 1,000 pounds per day. The cost of the cheapest funeral in England reached 2,000 poundterling and therefore expensive, burial was beginning to be a British citizen. According to the British National Archives, more than 70 percent of people choose cremation cheaper and more practical than a conventional funeral.

Although the majority of Anglican Christians, but the Briton did not go to the cemetery to pray for those who are buried there. Even the chapels that exist every cemetery also serves only as accessories, in addition to most of its roof had collapsed because with age and weather. Again it is bold impression that the park cemetery in England was more functions for those who are still alive rather than dead.

Roving tour Highgate

Highgate Cemetery Trust also provides tour services around the graves are in demand and are always inundated with requests. The tour is only available on weekends – usually Saturdays – at a cost of 12 pounds per participant. Which makes this tour special is because the participants are invited to Highgate cemetery down the complex on the west side that is closed to the public for reasons to protect the historical heritage.

Although I suspect this is a trick manager to get more revenue, but my decision not to follow the tour I regret because the western region Highgate cemetery is indeed the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Funeral artefacts from the era of Queen Victoria that blends with the style of Gothic buildings were scattered here. Mausoleum, the catacombs (underground cemeteries with array-array niches for tombs), the colonnade of Roman style, until the Circle of Lebanon or the tomb complex built around the cedar tree became the main attraction of this section. In the tomb west, among others there is a headstone family (wife, sister, and parents) famous British author, Charles Dickens. Located beside Waterlow Park, Highgate Cemetery is overgrown trees, shrubs and wild flowers, besides being a sanctuary for several species of birds.

Slipshod

In addition to Highgate, I was also able to visit Nunhead and Abney Park Cemetery which is also part of The Magnificent Seven. But unlike Highgate, two tombs were my last visit was more like a jungle than a garden. Tombstones here just seemed to end as most of the tomb covered in roots and leaves that propagate freely in more than 170 years. Many observers have voiced criticism of architecture will care tomb’s perfunctory.

Nunhead located in southeast London was built on a hill as high as 200 meters above sea level with views of the River Thames and central London under foot. Due to the exclusive location with beautiful scenery, in the past only the upper middle class families who can bury their relatives here. Genealogy and origin of prominent families are buried here, too, it can be seen from the inscription on the tombstone, though now largely unreadable again.

In Nunhead, traces of vegetation stronger. Such as Abney Park, status Nunhead cemetery is actually the arboretum (park maintenance rare plants), a species endemic to the British breeding, as well as green open spaces for residents. Nunhead I visited last May, when rain and hail storm (hailstorm) has just flushed London. Despite the cold, but it did not ignite the atmosphere during the horror of even gravestones damp due to water droplets, so the rain subsided, bustling sound is the sound of animals shouted. London weather can change dramatically in a matter of minutes. That day when the rain was replaced with a splash of sunlight, unkempt cemetery was instantly transformed into warm. Sound animal sounds for the orchestra also enliven the atmosphere.

Abney Park cemetery near Stoke Newington in northeast London, almost flat enclosed wild shrubs that meet along the edge of the course. Towering trees grow, while some root damage the building tombstone, as the rain and the harsh winter for more than a half-century shed the text contained in the tombstone that is now difficult to read. For some people, this natural susana was more interesting than a row of tombstones and mausoleums are neatly surrounded by green pastures are arranged.

Once the importance of the management of the cemetery as a city park, Nunhead Cemetery is under the management of the National Trust, a nonprofit institution that belongs to the British government to preserve the buildings and parks in the United Kingdom. I myself enjoyed the visit to the three tombs of the The Magnificent Seven. There was no fear, because the old tombs is very pleasant to sit through the day while learning history in a busy metropolitan London.