The future of Zurich's cemeteries

Zurich's cemeteries are undergoing a transformation: new forms of burial are changing the use of space and creating additional open spaces. The City of Zurich is actively shaping this development: with the "Future of Zurich Cemeteries" strategy, it is setting the framework for how the 19 municipal cemeteries are to develop in the coming years. In doing so, it is also involving the population.

More than places of mourning

Cemeteries are and will remain places of farewell, remembrance and mourning. At the same time, they are important green spaces and places of retreat in public spaces.

With the increasing variety of forms of burial, the spatial use of cemeteries is also changing. Classic grave forms such as row graves, niches or family graves are increasingly being replaced by communal graves and alternative forms of burial. This creates new open spaces.

This development opens up new possibilities. We see cemeteries not only as places of farewell, but also as valuable green and open spaces in the neighborhoods. They provide habitats for a diverse flora and fauna, strengthen ecological networking and make an important contribution to the urban climate. At the same time, they are open to the population as places of peace and quiet recreation. They are also carriers of a cultural heritage that must be preserved and further developed.

This also raises new questions: How can cemeteries be further developed without losing their character? What role should they play in everyday urban life in the future?

The diverse functions of cemeteries bring together different demands that can lead to conflicts of use. In order to meet these in a forward-looking manner in the future, a carefully coordinated further development of their use is necessary.

A strategy for the future

With the "Future of Zurich Cemeteries" strategy, the City of Zurich is creating a basis for the future use of cemetery areas and defining guidelines for their development and use. Based on this, concrete measures for the coming years will be examined and implemented step by step.

Help shape

development of cemeteries affects the entire city. For this reason, the strategy is being developed together with the population and other stakeholders in a participation process.

👉 From 26 October 2026, all Zurich residents are invited to actively participate. You can share your input on the future of cemeteries directly here on the platform. In addition, events will be held at the Sihlfeld, Nordheim and Witikon cemeteries that offer space for personal exchange on site.

This is how it goes on

On this page we keep you informed about the project and the next steps.