From Entombed's official Facebook page:
Stockholm, early 1990. A small, one-room studio. We were deep into recording when suddenly, a photographer and a journalist from Söder Om Söder—a tiny local paper—somehow found their way into Sunlight Studio. To this day, we have no idea how they knew we were there. Maybe Nicke tipped them off? Maybe someone’s parents worked at the paper? Who knows.Photographer Micke Lundström snapped away, capturing the raw energy of the session, and then suggested we step outside for more shots. A metal gate near the studio caught his eye, and we went along for it.
A little later, when we needed promo photos for the album, we asked for Micke again. This time, he took us to a mystery location—right before our first UK tour.
We had no clue where we were going.
We had no idea that, decades later, people from all over the world would travel there just to take photos of this cross.
We never imagined it would end up on Atlas Obscura, marked as The Entombed Cross.
Oh, and it definitely wasn’t supposed to be snowing. But, of course, the universe had other plans.
Fast Forward 34 Years
For the Total Metal exhibition at Kulturhuset, Stockholm, journalist Ika Johannesson had the insane idea to recreate the legendary cross. With the help of the skilled carpenters at Kulturhuset/Stadsteatern, a massive 5-6 meter replica (about half the scale of the original) now stands tall—bringing a piece of death metal history back to life. If you’ve ever wanted to stand in front of The Entombed Cross—this is your chance.
For the Total Metal exhibition at Kulturhuset, Stockholm, journalist Ika Johannesson had the insane idea to recreate the legendary cross. With the help of the skilled carpenters at Kulturhuset/Stadsteatern, a massive 5-6 meter replica (about half the scale of the original) now stands tall—bringing a piece of death metal history back to life. If you’ve ever wanted to stand in front of The Entombed Cross—this is your chance.
From DeathDoom’s website:
The Entombed cross in Skogskyrkogården outside Stockholm is one of the most famous sights in death metal. Many metalheads visiting Stockholm wants to know where it is, and how to get there. It’s a cool place for several reasons, and I recommend a visit, even if you’re not an Entombed fan. Here’s all you need to know about the Entombed cross, including how to get there and what to see in the Skogskyrkogården cemetery.
The significance of the Entombed cross
But what’s the significant of the Entombed cross, beyond death metal? Well, the cross (granitkorset, the granite cross, in Swedish) was designed and added in 1939. You might think it’s a Christian sign, but it’s not. It’s an multi-religious monument meant to symbolize the cycle of life (life-death-life). That symbolic meaning actually makes the location quite fitting for many metal bands, beyond the fact that it simply looks cool.
How do you get to the Entombed cross?
Easy! Very easy actually. Stockholm has a vast subway system, and Skogskyrkogården is merely a 15 minute rid from Stockholm City, the central station. Take the green subway line south towards Farsta Strand. After getting off the subway, the cemetery and Entombed cross is just around the corner. Remember that the subway has the symbol T, while the commuter trains has the symbol J. If you want to see train times and search options, use the SL (Stockholm public transport) web site.
I would not recommend taking a taxi or Ubering, because the sight is easy to get to, and hiring a car is a very expensive option. But it’s certainly possible if you have a big budget and/or little time in Stockholm.
Are there other death metal or metal sights nearby?
Yes! Some people take the opportunity to visit Entombed vocalist L.G. Petrov’s (R.I.P.) grave in the cemetery itself. Very cool art on it, and a nice tribute. Also, nearby Sandsborgskyrkogården hosts Bathory mastermind Tomas Forsberg. You can find the exact locations of graves using the government E-service Hitta Graven (find the grave).
Aside from graves, several bands, including Bloodbath and Candlemass, had promo pictures taken at the above hill with the trees and stairs. Speaking of Candlemass, do you remember the classic video for “Bewitched”? Yup, filmed in Skogskyrkogården.
Skogskyrkogården – a unique place
Skogskyrkogården is an amazing location that I recommend visiting, regardless of your interest in Entombed or the famous cross. It’s a huge UNESCO-marked cemetery covered in large trees, with an open area where the cross and some other cool sights are located.
The cemetery is not that old, around 100 years (opened in 1920), but it’s quite a significant piece of Stockholm history. “Regular” tourists should definitely go here too, both for the history and the cool vibe and sights. Speaking as an Instagrammer, the place is superb for getting cool pics!
