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Great Cemetery

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144: 487: 374:; all burials were to take place in the new cemeteries to be built throughout the entire Russian empire, which were to be located outside town boundaries. These measures were intended to overcome the congestion of urban church crypts and graveyards, and were prompted by a number of outbreaks of highly contagious diseases linked to inadequate burial practices in urban areas, especially the 189: 25: 518: 351: 389:
Against this background the Great Cemetery in Riga was founded in 1773. It served as a burial ground for over 170 years for almost all Baltic Germans who died in the city between 1773 and 1944. Additionally, numerous Latvians of upper social status were buried there as well. The cemetery was divided
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Burials at the cemetery continued on a much smaller scale until 1944, principally among those Baltic Germans who had refused Hitler's call to leave the region.
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A significant number of Baltic German and Latvian graves and family plots, including a restored crypt built in 1777 and the graves of
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after 1945 led to the suspension of burials and the eventual conversion of the burial ground to a public
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In 1957 the cemetery was closed completely for any further burials and began to fall into disrepair.
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Photos of memorial to German and Latvian pastors killed by communists in 1919 at sites-of-memory.de
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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large sections of the cemetery in order to transform it into a public memorial park.
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from one of the city's main churches and transferred to the cemetery in 1773.
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for the Great Cemetery so that the city can properly take over maintenance.
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One of the first to be (re-)buried there was the founder of the city,
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into three section: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian.
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Extensive damage and removal of many headstones and graves by the
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Mortuary of Pychlau family, Russian textile manufacturers
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Rīgas dome cer mainīt Pēterbaznīcu pret Lielajiem kapiem
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Burials at the cemetery were drastically reduced after
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The city of Riga is currently discussing exchanging
1192: 1176: 1125: 1109: 1073: 1042: 1001: 950: 914: 873: 852: 784: 621:, Baltic German botanist, explorer and ethnologist. 265: 257: 247: 239: 200: 182: 170: 162: 157: 123: 148:Mausoleum of C. H. Berg in Riga's Great Cemetery 761: 521:Grave stone of Baltic-German Mailinger family 8: 958:Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation 458:In 1967 or 1969 the city council decided to 609:, Baltic German chemist and Nobel laureate. 973:The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia 768: 754: 746: 120: 1261:1773 establishments in the Russian Empire 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 338:The 22-hectare property is owned by the 819:House of the Livonian Noble Corporation 678: 45:Please improve this article by adding 932:University of Latvia Botanical Garden 603:, Latvian linguist and lexicographer. 469:section of the cemetery, later named 252:Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia 7: 1034:Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre 728:History of the cemetery (in Latvian) 1266:Cemeteries established in the 1770s 340:Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church 1256:Cemetery vandalism and desecration 968:Museum of the Occupation of Latvia 14: 1251:Monuments and memorials in Latvia 444:were removed or destroyed by the 686:Rozenberga, Māra (May 6, 2016). 662:Nazi-Soviet population transfers 485: 187: 142: 23: 450:occupation of the Baltic states 448:authorities during the second 1: 1241:Lutheran cemeteries in Latvia 692:Public Broadcasting of Latvia 304:) was formerly the principal 47:secondary or tertiary sources 667:List of cemeteries in Latvia 567:, pedagogue and ethnographer 1143:Latvian Academy of Sciences 1282: 1133:National Library of Latvia 993:Museum of National History 615:, Baltic German architect. 585:, Latvian poet and writer. 327:authorities governing the 1153:Mežaparks Great Bandstand 978:Museum of Natural History 874:Monuments & memorials 714:, retrieved June 6, 2008. 652:Brothers' Cemetery (Riga) 641:of Riga from 1901 to 1912 619:Georg August Schweinfurth 494:This section needs to be 153: 141: 128: 1019:Latvian National Theatre 16:Cemetery in Riga, Latvia 951:Museums & galleries 814:House of the Blackheads 577:Jānis Fridrihs Baumanis 565:Johann Christoph Brotze 419:Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact 405:Final burials 1939–1944 358:Between 1771 and 1772, 1246:18th century in Latvia 1014:Latvian National Opera 988:Art Museum Riga Bourse 963:National Museum of Art 558:, one of Riga's chief 522: 355: 301: 288: 261:22 hectares (54 acres) 134: 34:relies excessively on 1231:Baltic-German culture 1065:St. James's Cathedral 520: 397:, whose remains were 378:which had led to the 353: 224:56.97056°N 24.14306°E 589:Johann Daniel Felsko 573:, Latvian folklorist 432:Situation after 1944 915:Parks & gardens 886:Bikernieki Memorial 625:Krišjānis Valdemārs 579:, Latvian architect 556:Christoph Haberland 531:Krišjānis Valdemārs 360:Catherine the Great 220: /  1236:Cemeteries in Riga 1117:Radio and TV Tower 1060:St. Peter's Church 1050:Nativity Cathedral 881:Brothers' Cemetery 597:, Latvian painter. 544:Notable interments 523: 356: 229:56.97056; 24.14306 1218: 1217: 1158:Palace of Justice 1043:Places of worship 809:Dannenstern House 740:Pastors' memorial 635:George Armitstead 538:St Peter's Church 515: 514: 362:, empress of the 277: 276: 119: 118: 111: 93: 1273: 1029:New Riga Theatre 896:Freedom Monument 770: 763: 756: 747: 715: 709: 703: 702: 700: 698: 683: 627:, leader of the 601:Kārlis Mīlenbahs 595:Jāzeps Grosvalds 571:Krišjānis Barons 527:Krišjānis Barons 510: 507: 501: 489: 488: 481: 467:Russian Orthodox 296: 235: 234: 232: 231: 230: 225: 221: 218: 217: 216: 213: 193: 191: 190: 146: 121: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 58:"Great Cemetery" 51: 27: 19: 1281: 1280: 1276: 1275: 1274: 1272: 1271: 1270: 1221: 1220: 1219: 1214: 1188: 1172: 1121: 1105: 1091:Southern Bridge 1069: 1038: 997: 946: 910: 906:Pokrov Cemetery 891:Forest Cemetery 869: 848: 780: 774: 736: 724: 719: 718: 710: 706: 696: 694: 685: 684: 680: 675: 648: 613:Heinrich Scheel 607:Wilhelm Ostwald 583:Andrejs Pumpurs 546: 511: 505: 502: 499: 490: 486: 479: 471:Pokrov Cemetery 434: 415:forced transfer 407: 348: 302:Großer Friedhof 292: 228: 226: 222: 219: 214: 211: 209: 207: 206: 188: 186: 178: 149: 137: 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 44: 40:primary sources 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1279: 1277: 1269: 1268: 1263: 1258: 1253: 1248: 1243: 1238: 1233: 1223: 1222: 1216: 1215: 1213: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1196: 1194: 1190: 1189: 1187: 1186: 1180: 1178: 1174: 1173: 1171: 1170: 1165: 1160: 1155: 1150: 1145: 1140: 1138:Central Market 1135: 1129: 1127: 1123: 1122: 1120: 1119: 1113: 1111: 1107: 1106: 1104: 1103: 1098: 1093: 1088: 1086:Railway Bridge 1083: 1077: 1075: 1071: 1070: 1068: 1067: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1046: 1044: 1040: 1039: 1037: 1036: 1031: 1026: 1024:Palladium Riga 1021: 1016: 1011: 1009:Dailes Theatre 1005: 1003: 999: 998: 996: 995: 990: 985: 980: 975: 970: 965: 960: 954: 952: 948: 947: 945: 944: 939: 937:Vērmane Garden 934: 929: 924: 918: 916: 912: 911: 909: 908: 903: 901:Great Cemetery 898: 893: 888: 883: 877: 875: 871: 870: 868: 867: 862: 856: 854: 850: 849: 847: 846: 844:Three Brothers 841: 836: 831: 826: 821: 816: 811: 806: 801: 796: 790: 788: 782: 781: 775: 773: 772: 765: 758: 750: 744: 743: 735: 734:External links 732: 731: 730: 723: 720: 717: 716: 704: 677: 676: 674: 671: 670: 669: 664: 659: 657:Kopli cemetery 654: 647: 644: 643: 642: 632: 629:Young Latvians 622: 616: 610: 604: 598: 592: 586: 580: 574: 568: 562: 553: 550:Albert of Riga 545: 542: 513: 512: 493: 491: 484: 478: 477:Current status 475: 433: 430: 406: 403: 395:Albert of Riga 364:Russian Empire 347: 344: 318:Baltic Germans 281:Great Cemetery 275: 274: 272:Great Cemetery 269: 263: 262: 259: 255: 254: 249: 245: 244: 241: 237: 236: 204: 198: 197: 184: 180: 179: 174: 172: 168: 167: 164: 160: 159: 155: 154: 151: 150: 147: 139: 138: 129: 126: 125: 124:Great Cemetery 117: 116: 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1278: 1267: 1264: 1262: 1259: 1257: 1254: 1252: 1249: 1247: 1244: 1242: 1239: 1237: 1234: 1232: 1229: 1228: 1226: 1211: 1208: 1206: 1205:Brīvības iela 1203: 1201: 1198: 1197: 1195: 1191: 1185: 1184:Daugava River 1182: 1181: 1179: 1175: 1169: 1166: 1164: 1161: 1159: 1156: 1154: 1151: 1149: 1146: 1144: 1141: 1139: 1136: 1134: 1131: 1130: 1128: 1124: 1118: 1115: 1114: 1112: 1108: 1102: 1099: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1081:Island Bridge 1079: 1078: 1076: 1072: 1066: 1063: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1051: 1048: 1047: 1045: 1041: 1035: 1032: 1030: 1027: 1025: 1022: 1020: 1017: 1015: 1012: 1010: 1007: 1006: 1004: 1000: 994: 991: 989: 986: 984: 981: 979: 976: 974: 971: 969: 966: 964: 961: 959: 956: 955: 953: 949: 943: 940: 938: 935: 933: 930: 928: 925: 923: 920: 919: 917: 913: 907: 904: 902: 899: 897: 894: 892: 889: 887: 884: 882: 879: 878: 876: 872: 866: 863: 861: 858: 857: 855: 851: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 825: 822: 820: 817: 815: 812: 810: 807: 805: 802: 800: 797: 795: 792: 791: 789: 787: 783: 778: 771: 766: 764: 759: 757: 752: 751: 748: 741: 738: 737: 733: 729: 726: 725: 721: 713: 708: 705: 693: 689: 682: 679: 672: 668: 665: 663: 660: 658: 655: 653: 650: 649: 645: 640: 636: 633: 630: 626: 623: 620: 617: 614: 611: 608: 605: 602: 599: 596: 593: 590: 587: 584: 581: 578: 575: 572: 569: 566: 563: 561: 557: 554: 551: 548: 547: 543: 541: 539: 534: 532: 528: 519: 509: 497: 492: 483: 482: 476: 474: 472: 468: 463: 461: 456: 453: 451: 447: 443: 439: 431: 429: 426: 424: 420: 416: 412: 404: 402: 400: 396: 391: 387: 385: 381: 377: 373: 369: 365: 361: 352: 345: 343: 341: 336: 334: 330: 326: 321: 319: 315: 311: 307: 303: 299: 295: 290: 286: 282: 273: 270: 268: 264: 260: 256: 253: 250: 246: 242: 238: 233: 205: 203: 199: 196: 185: 181: 177: 173: 169: 165: 161: 156: 152: 145: 140: 136: 132: 127: 122: 113: 110: 102: 91: 88: 84: 81: 77: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: –  59: 55: 54:Find sources: 48: 42: 41: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 1200:Alberta iela 1168:Zunda Towers 1101:Vanšu Bridge 1096:Stone Bridge 942:Victory Park 900: 865:Gallery Park 860:Grand Palace 839:Swedish Gate 829:Powder Tower 804:Convent Yard 707: 695:. Retrieved 681: 591:, architect. 535: 524: 503: 495: 464: 457: 454: 436:Hundreds of 435: 427: 417:, under the 408: 392: 388: 376:black plague 357: 337: 322: 280: 278: 267:Find a Grave 243:Closed, 1957 105: 96: 86: 79: 72: 65: 53: 33: 1163:Laima Clock 922:Bastejkalns 834:Small Guild 824:Large Guild 506:August 2017 380:Plague Riot 329:Latvian SSR 320:in Latvia. 289:Lielie kapi 227: / 202:Coordinates 163:Established 135:Lielie kapi 99:August 2017 1225:Categories 1210:Kaļķu iela 1110:Structures 983:War Museum 673:References 560:architects 438:headstones 372:churchyard 215:24°08′35″E 212:56°58′14″N 69:newspapers 36:references 1177:Waterways 1055:Cathedral 927:Mežaparks 799:Cat House 779:cityscape 631:movement. 386:in 1771. 294:‹See Tfd› 1002:Theatres 786:Old Town 697:March 6, 646:See also 460:bulldoze 306:cemetery 248:Owned by 171:Location 1193:Streets 1074:Bridges 722:Sources 496:updated 399:exhumed 346:Origins 285:Latvian 183:Country 158:Details 131:Latvian 83:scholar 853:Hotels 794:Castle 446:Soviet 442:graves 423:Poland 411:Hitler 384:Moscow 325:Soviet 314:Latvia 298:German 195:Latvia 192:  85:  78:  71:  64:  56:  1126:Other 639:Mayor 368:crypt 90:JSTOR 76:books 777:Riga 699:2017 529:and 465:The 440:and 333:park 310:Riga 279:The 258:Size 240:Type 176:Riga 166:1773 62:news 1148:Zoo 413:'s 382:in 370:or 312:in 308:of 38:to 1227:: 690:. 637:, 452:. 425:. 342:. 300:: 291:; 287:: 133:: 49:. 769:e 762:t 755:v 701:. 508:) 504:( 498:. 283:( 112:) 106:( 101:) 97:( 87:· 80:· 73:· 66:· 43:.

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"Great Cemetery"
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Latvian

Riga
Latvia
Coordinates
56°58′14″N 24°08′35″E / 56.97056°N 24.14306°E / 56.97056; 24.14306
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
Find a Grave
Great Cemetery
Latvian
‹See Tfd›
German
cemetery
Riga
Latvia
Baltic Germans
Soviet
Latvian SSR
park

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