Colera Churchyard

Sandhamn initially had no cemetery but the dead were taken to Djurö to be buried. However, exceptions were made for crew members who died from infectious diseases and such. These were buried at the location where the Seafarer's Hotel stands today. The place was called Kyrkogårdsudden at the time. Sandhamn was hit by its first cholera epidemic in 1834 and it is said that the cemetery (located on the western part of the island) was also consecrated then. It is said that the lighthouse keeper Ljungberg, who fell ill in Stockholm and died within 12 hours, was the first inhabitant. Due to the contagion, he could not be taken to Djurö but became the cemetery's first inhabitant. In 1853, cholera struck again and, according to records, at least 14 people were buried on September 18. When the new Seafarer's Hotel was to be built in 1998, a number of skeletons were found during an archaeological excavation. In order for these to have a new resting place, a procession went from the hotel to the cemetery where a burial ceremony was held. A memorial stone was also erected on the cemetery with the inscription 'Resting place for those who were buried before 1834 on Kyrkogårdsudden, reburied in 1998.'

Source: https://www.destinationsandhamn.se/om-sandhamn/historia