An elevated, winding walkway guides visitors through Park of Memories, a former graveyard in A?, Czech Republic, renovated by local studio SOA Architekti.
Covering the site of a graveyard that was demolished in the 1970s, the landscape functions as a public park with a memorial, elevated walkways and repaired stone bridges and cellars.
SOA Architekti aimed to reconnect visitors with the cultural and architectural heritage lost throughout the history of A?, as a result of the town's proximity to Germany during World War Two and the Iron Curtain during the Cold War.
An elevated walkway features in Park of Memories
"The project aims to recall the forgotten values of the past and guide visitors through the city's turbulent history," SOA Architekti founder ?tefan ?ulek told Dezeen. "It engages with its historical context by sensitively incorporating the memory of the site, such as concentrating neglected graves into a new memorial," he added.
Park of Memories combines new elements with an archaeological route revealing old graves, the ruins of a former chapel and historic cellars repurposed as events spaces.
SOA Architekti created the park on the site of an old graveyard
At the centre of the park is a memorial for both the local community and visitors from neighbouring Germany, which takes the form of a large granite block incorporating stones of various sizes and small cut-outs for candles.
To the east, a paved square with fountains and benches provides info...