Joyce died in Zurich on 13 January 1941 following surgery for a duodenal ulcer and is buried in the Fluntern Cemetery on the Zürichberg hill. His wife Nora, who died in 1951, is buried beside him. The grave is marked by a bronze sculpture of Joyce seated, book in hand — a meditative, dignified monument that draws a steady stream of literary pilgrims.
Joyce had fled Nazi-occupied France and spent his final months in Zurich, a city he knew well from his earlier years here during the First World War (1915–1919), when he wrote much of Ulysses. The cemetery is peaceful and easy to reach by tram; the grave is well signposted from the entrance. Nearby is the zoo, which adds an incongruous cheerfulness to the visit.