The municipality of Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich, has recently installed five reading benches in its Sihlfeld Cemetery garden designed exclusively for bookworms. “Cemeteries are not only places for mourning and for saying goodbye to loved ones, but also tranquil places for a stroll and to read – an activity that fits into such a peaceful environment,” said the municipality of Zurich in promoting its new initiative.
Each bench is equipped with a metal water-proof box, which features a selection of books in Switzerland’s most common languages, including German, French and Italian. People can read the books on the bench, in the cemetery itself or in its garden annex.
Co-organised by Zürich Funerals Office and Pestalozzi Library, the initiative is due to run until the end of October 2017 and will be implemented at other areas in the city. Zürich has a population of 400,000 people and is located at the border of Switzerland and Germany.