Crematoria in Ústí nad Labem, Cremation facility in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
Crematoria in Ústí nad Labem is a cremation facility with ceremonial halls in both historic and newer structures. The building complex offers various sized spaces for memorial gatherings and farewell services.
A 1925 competition for a crematorium was won by architect Ernst Rücker, but his design was not built; Wilhelm Etzel reworked the plans with painter Hanns Kühnel and sculptor Hermann Zettlitzer. The German Expressionist complex, an extension of an existing cemetery funeral hall on the slope of Sedlo hill, was completed and opened in 1932 as "Das Krematorium in Schreckenstein". A second crematorium building (No. 5) was added east of the old one in 1985–1987 to designs by Jiří Louda and Petr Suske.
The old crematorium's German name was "Das Krematorium in Schreckenstein", after the Střekov castle above it. Wall paintings on the transience of life and stained-glass windows of divine virtues by Hans Kühnel were removed when the German population was expelled. Three sandstone reliefs of male nudes by Hermann Zettlitzer remain on the apse exterior.
The crematoria stand in the Střekov district on the city cemetery, at U Krematoria 5 and 8, about 700 metres east of the Malé Sedlo lookout by the Kamenný vrch housing estate. The old building is at No. 8 and the 1980s crematorium at No. 5, east of it.
The old ceremonial hall lost its wall paintings, stained-glass windows and the sandstone relief above the round window when the German population was expelled; only three sandstone reliefs of male nudes by Hermann Zettlitzer survive on the outer side of the apse.
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