Tyrsted Church Forest

BUILDER Tyrsted Church Parish Council
AREA 30,350 m2
STATUS Awaiting decision

THE CHURCH FOREST BETWEEN TOWN AND COUNTRY

Tyrsted Church and cemetery are beautifully situated in the landscape between Horsens town, countryside and forests. Tyrsted-Uth parish is an old rural parish with 12,000 parishioners. The church is the owner of an approximately 3-hectare agricultural area east of the cemetery. Today, the area is a windswept open field that is leased out. The parish council wants to plant a forest on the area. Churches are Denmark’s third largest landowner and can become an important player in Danish climate efforts. In addition, there are other motivations for the desire for afforestation:

– With targeted afforestation and variation in habitats, the church will be able to contribute positively to and enhance the area’s overall biodiversity.
– The church forest, which to the north, west and east is framed by residential neighborhoods, can serve as a meeting place for the city’s inhabitants. The parish council sees the forest as an experience forest with visitors to the cemetery and the citizens of the municipality as users. In Tyrsted Church Forest, people will gather to move, play and find peace in the silence of nature, but also to mourn and remember.
– The forest will create a nice synergy and connection to the other recreational areas.
– The church forest can accommodate new burial sites for both coffin and urn burials.
– The church forest will visually screen new buildings and the bypass road and provide shelter for the windswept cemetery.
– The church forest will be the setting for outdoor worship services and events.
– The church forest will contain a natural play and movement area

LINK BETWEEN CHURCH FOREST AND CHURCH
The area connects to the area’s existing recreational areas and trail system in a natural way that optimizes the overall recreational experience. A strong connection is created between the existing cemetery and the forest, so that the cultural heritage represented by the churches interacts with the new forest area. Therefore, the existing path system of the cemetery is partially included in the proposal. The area will contribute positively to the city’s cultural environment, which is an important asset in Horsens municipality.

VIEWS
Existing and new views to the church are incorporated into the proposal. The church is preserved as a landmark at the edge of the city and from the new bypass. In addition, a visual connection between the church, cemetery and the new amphitheater area is ensured.

ACCESS, ACCESSIBILITY AND STAY
An accessibility path and access road for machinery connects the existing cemetery with the church forest, the new cemetery, flower meadow
and parking lot in the south. From here, winding and varied forest paths lead the visitor into the other areas of the forest. The trail system is linked to the area’s other trails. The forest will be rich in experiences by incorporating clearings and varied experience spaces. The experience spaces must be able to accommodate movement, play and space for reflection. The area will contribute positively to the city’s cultural environment, which is an important asset in Horsens municipality.

NEW TYPES OF GRAVE PLACES
In recent years, there has been a migration to the city and the cemetery lacks burial spaces. In addition, there is a desire to offer alternative types of burial sites. Therefore, in connection with the afforestation, space is provided for a future burial ground area in the forest. The plan prescribes two burial areas that are closely connected to the existing cemetery:

– Cemetery with slab urn graves. A burial area for anonymous people can also be set up here.
– Gravesites in flower meadow