Birger jarls kenotaf

The cenotaph of Birger Jarl, Stockholm's founder, can be found at Birgerskansen at the eastern foot of the Stadshustornet. The cenotaph, a sculpture of a sarcophagus, was designed by the city hall architect Ragnar Östberg and sculptor Gustaf Sandberg. It represents Birger Jarl lying in full knight's armor, with his feet pointing towards Stockholm and Riddarholmen. The sarcophagus is made of gilded lead and is topped by a baldachin supported by four columns carved from granite, surrounded by a forged railing.

In the base for the northern side of the skans and partially underneath Birger Jarl's cenotaph lies a fictional grave choir. This choir is closed by a black iron door flanked by two granite pillars with capitals in the Ionic order. The shells of the capitals are not completely finished, an artistic device by Östberg intended to give the choir a weathered appearance.

Both the grave choir and the sarcophagus are empty. When the monument was built, the intention was to transfer Birger Jarl's remains from the church in Varnhem to Birgerskansen at the City Hall, but the church council in Varnhem said no. Because the grave in Stockholm remained empty, it is called a kenotaf, an empty grave. In the fictional choir, stone slabs and granite details are kept.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons