Editing Cemetery (section)

===Urban===
[[File:Ringkøbing Kirkegård, Ringkøbing, Danmark.jpg|thumb|Avenue with [[Tilia|linden]] in the cemetery by [[Ringkøbing]], Jutland, Denmark.]]
[[File:Hietaniemi Cemetery, Helsinki, Finland 2.jpg|thumb|Graves at the [[Hietaniemi Cemetery]] in [[Helsinki]], Uusimaa, Finland.]]

The urban cemetery is a burial ground located in the interior of a village, town, or city. Early urban cemeteries were churchyards, which filled quickly and exhibited a haphazard placement of burial markers as [[sexton (office)|sexton]]s tried to squeeze new burials into the remaining space. As new burying grounds were established in urban areas to compensate, burial plots were often laid out in a grid to replace the chaotic appearance of the churchyard.{{sfn|Mytum|2004|page=50}} Urban cemeteries developed over time into a more landscaped form as part of civic development of beliefs and institutions that sought to portray the city as civilized and harmonious.{{sfn|Worpole|2003|pages=11–12}}

Urban cemeteries were more sanitary (a place to safely dispose of decomposing corpses) than they were aesthetically pleasing. Corpses were usually buried wrapped in cloth, since coffins, burial vaults, and above-ground crypts inhibited the process of decomposition.{{sfn|Nonini|2014|page=390}} Nonetheless, urban cemeteries which were heavily used were often very unhealthy. [[Receiving vault]]s and crypts often needed to be aired before entering, as decomposing corpses used up so much oxygen that even candles could not remain lit.{{sfn|Flanders|2014|page=220}} The sheer stench from decomposing corpses, even when buried deeply, was overpowering in areas adjacent to the urban cemetery.{{sfn|Carroll|2013|page=362}}{{sfn|Upton|1997|page=131–132}} Decomposition of the human body releases significant pathogenic bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses which can cause disease and illness, and many urban cemeteries were located without consideration for local groundwater. Modern burials in urban cemeteries also release toxic chemicals associated with embalming, such as arsenic, [[formaldehyde]], and mercury. Coffins and burial equipment can also release significant amounts of toxic chemicals such as arsenic (used to preserve coffin wood) and formaldehyde (used in varnishes and as a sealant) and toxic metals such as copper, lead, and zinc (from coffin handles and flanges).{{sfn|Taylor|Allen|2006|pages=342–342}}

Urban cemeteries relied heavily on the fact that the soft parts of the body would decompose in about 25 years (although, in moist soil, decomposition can take up to 70 years).{{sfn|Meuser|2010|page=137}} If room for new burials was needed, older bones could be dug up and interred elsewhere (such as in an ossuary) to make space for new interments.{{sfn|Nonini|2014|page=390}} It was not uncommon in some places, such as England, for fresher corpses to be chopped up to aid decomposition, and for bones to be burned to create fertilizer.{{sfn|Flanders|2014|pages=219–221}} The re-use of graves allowed for a steady stream of income, which enabled the cemetery to remain well-maintained and in good repair.{{sfn|Worpole|2003|page=8}} Not all urban cemeteries engaged in re-use of graves, and cultural taboos often prevented it. Many urban cemeteries have fallen into disrepair and become overgrown, as they lacked endowments to fund perpetual care. Many urban cemeteries today are thus home to wildlife, birds, and plants which cannot be found anywhere else in the urban area, and many urban cemeteries in the late 20th century touted their role as an environmental refuge.{{sfn|Worpole|2003|page=173}}{{sfn|Forman|2014|pages=357–358}}

Many urban cemeteries are characterized by multiple burials in the same grave. Multiple burials is a consequence of the limited size of the urban cemetery, which cannot easily expand due to adjacent building development. It was not uncommon for an urban cemetery to begin adding soil to the top of the cemetery to create new burial space.