Åssiden cemetery

Åssiden cemetery (Norwegian: Åssiden kirkegård) is a modern municipal cemetery in Drammen, in south-eastern Norway. It lies in the Åssiden district beside the Kjøsterudbekken stream, close to the border with Nedre Eiker municipality. The address is Betzy Kjelsbergs vei 273, and it is one of seven burial grounds in Drammen municipality.

Where is Åssiden cemetery?

The cemetery sits in the residential district of Åssiden, in the upper part of the town on the west side of the river. Its coordinates are roughly 59.76° N, 10.12° E. The surroundings are calm and suburban, and the stream running alongside gives the grounds an open, green feel. It is easy to reach from central Drammen, and visitors can find the cemetery at the address above.

How did the cemetery come about?

The cemetery was laid out in 1987 and first used for burials in 1990. The local history wiki gives 9 September 1990 as the opening date. Compared with Europe's historic graveyards it is a very young site, created as the Åssiden district grew and its residents needed a new place of burial.

In 2008 it was extended with 850 new burial plots. It now covers 41 mål in total, around four hectares (one mål equals 1,000 square metres). It is managed by Drammen kirkelige fellesråd, the city's joint church council.

What is there to see?

The cemetery offers traditional coffin and urn graves, plus two kinds of memorial grove: an anonymous grove and a grove where names are recorded. This is a common form of burial in Norway, where ashes rest in a shared, carefully tended green space.

On the grounds stands Åssiden chapel (Åssiden kapell). The building began life as the Catholic church in central Drammen. When the town gained a new Catholic church in the 1990s, the Åssiden congregation received the old building as a gift and it was moved to the cemetery. The chapel was consecrated in December 1996. Today it serves as a ceremony hall for funerals and memorial services. Sources give slightly different seating figures, somewhere around a hundred or a little more, so check before planning a ceremony.

Is Åssiden cemetery worth visiting?

This is not a typical tourist attraction. It is first and foremost a place of mourning and remembrance for local people, so keep quiet and show respect. For anyone interested in Norwegian burial customs, municipal cemetery landscapes or the story of a relocated chapel, it can still be a calm and thoughtful stop during a stay in Drammen. The nearest parish church, Åssiden kirke, is about 1.7 km away.

Frequently asked questions

When did Åssiden cemetery open? It was laid out in 1987, and the first burials took place in 1990.

How big is it? After the 2008 extension it covers 41 mål, about four hectares.

Does it have memorial groves? Yes, an anonymous grove and a named grove, alongside regular coffin and urn graves.

Is there a chapel on site? Yes. Åssiden chapel, consecrated in 1996, serves as a ceremony hall for funerals.

Who manages the cemetery? Drammen kirkelige fellesråd, the church council of Drammen.

Is it a tourist site? Not in the usual sense. It is an active cemetery, so quiet and respect for mourners apply.