The First Grave of René Descartes – Stockholm, Sweden - Atlas Obscura
What's near me?

The First Grave of René Descartes

Stockholm, Sweden

Inside this church, a monument honors the first burial site of the famed philosopher.  

View all photos
The First Grave of Descartes CoolCrab (Atlas Obscura User)
The First Grave of Descartes CoolCrab (Atlas Obscura User)
The First Grave of Descartes CoolCrab (Atlas Obscura User)
The First Grave of Descartes CoolCrab (Atlas Obscura User)
The First Grave of Descartes CoolCrab (Atlas Obscura User)
51
115
Top Places in Stockholm
The AlbaNova telescope viewed from the back.
AlbaNova Telescope
Stockholm, Sweden
Normalhöjdpunkten
Stockholm, Sweden
Bokbåten
Stockholm, Sweden
 See All
This entry is a stub
Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding The First Grave of René Descartes with additional information or photos.

As a Catholic residing in a mostly Lutheran country, when René Descartes passed away in Sweden, it was difficult to find a place to bury him. 

Originally, his remains were interred at St. Olof’s Chapel, a small wooden church far from the city’s center. After 16 years, Descartes’s remains were retrieved by French government officials and taken back to France. There, his remains received a proper blessing and Catholic burial at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

In 1774, Adolf Fredriks kyrka was finally complete, replacing St. Olof’s Chapel. King Gustav III, still a prince at the time, decided to honor the philosopher and the location of his internment while in Sweden. Inside the church, a massive lead memorial was erected on a pillar. It features the face of the philosopher, along with a globe that is symbolically having its veil removed by an angel.

Know Before You Go

The church is accessible during the day and photography is allowed.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Rewilding: Tracking Wolves in the Forests of Sweden

Experience Sweden's special connection with nature and learn first-hand how to observe and track local animals.
Sponsored by Tastemade
philosophy graves burial places
Nearby
Olof Palme Memorial Plaque
0.13 miles
Stockholm Meteorological Station
0.31 miles
Stockholm Observatory
0.32 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Stockholm, Sweden

Olof Palme Memorial Plaque

A golden plaque marks the site of the mysterious unsolved assassination of the former Swedish prime minister.
Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm Meteorological Station

One of the world's oldest continuously operating meteorological stations sits on a hill in Stockholm.
Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm Observatory

When this 18th-century observatory's meridian was moved, it set Sweden's time back by 0.04 seconds.
Stockholm, Sweden

'Två Myror' ('Two Ants')

Enormous ants wielding giant pine needles guard a Stockholm real estate company's office.
Related Places
Cambridge, England

Ascension Parish Burial Ground

The graveyard with the highest IQ in Britain.
Cusco, Peru

Shadow Boxes of Almudena Cemetery

Reclaimed material from a convent destroyed by cannonfire was used to build parts of this 19th-century cemetery.
San Antonio, Texas

Grave of Sandra West and Her Ferrari

In 1977, wealthy socialite Sandra West was buried wearing an elegant white nightdress while reclining comfortably in her powder-blue 1964 Ferrari.
Barcelona, Spain

'El Petó de la Mort' ('The Kiss of Death')

A cemetery in Barcelona's Poblenou district is home to this touching funerary statue, which depicts death in the form of a winged skeleton.
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
From Around the Web