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
293:
1260:
428:
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.
1265:
957:
1255:
1250:
972:
1049:
767:
687:
818:
1240:
931:
339:
251:
473:, is the only area which was not added to the territory of the Memorial Park and therefore was the only part to remain well preserved.
992:
967:
525:
A significant number of Baltic German and
Latvian graves and family plots, including a restored crypt built in 1777 and the graves of
727:
977:
208:
108:
661:
143:
1245:
449:
1230:
962:
813:
89:
46:
39:
1064:
61:
691:
537:
1152:
760:
711:
666:
651:
201:
624:
530:
418:
1235:
1142:
68:
1059:
533:, have survived the post-war destruction. However, many of these graves are in an abandoned or neglected condition.
1132:
576:
634:
618:
75:
1018:
864:
859:
1157:
1116:
753:
564:
35:
57:
1013:
987:
366:, decreed that no-one, regardless of their social standing or class origins, was to be buried in a church
600:
570:
526:
331:
after 1945 led to the suspension of burials and the eventual conversion of the burial ground to a public
890:
880:
1085:
1033:
843:
455:
In 1957 the cemetery was closed completely for any further burials and began to fall into disrepair.
1199:
1137:
1080:
941:
926:
885:
742:
Photos of memorial to German and
Latvian pastors killed by communists in 1919 at sites-of-memory.de
594:
555:
359:
1204:
1095:
982:
838:
828:
803:
421:, of tens of thousands of Baltic Germans from Latvia in late 1939 to occupied areas in western
936:
833:
823:
808:
1028:
921:
895:
466:
284:
130:
82:
1209:
1090:
905:
798:
612:
606:
582:
470:
297:
1100:
739:
500:
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
1054:
1023:
1008:
656:
628:
549:
441:
414:
394:
363:
317:
1224:
588:
462:
large sections of the cemetery in order to transform it into a public memorial park.
1167:
445:
375:
324:
266:
1162:
793:
379:
328:
24:
785:
401:
from one of the city's main churches and transferred to the cemetery in 1773.
398:
371:
271:
223:
210:
559:
540:
for the Great
Cemetery so that the city can properly take over maintenance.
437:
1147:
459:
305:
1183:
517:
393:
One of the first to be (re-)buried there was the founder of the city,
390:
into three section: Lutheran, Roman
Catholic, and Orthodox Christian.
350:
422:
410:
383:
313:
194:
638:
516:
367:
349:
335:. Despite this, a significant number of old graves have survived.
323:
Extensive damage and removal of many headstones and graves by the
745:
552:, founder of the city (his remains were transferred here in 1773)
776:
688:"Graves of Latvia's greats see moss and decay at Great Cemetery"
332:
309:
175:
749:
480:
18:
316:, established in 1773. It was the main burial ground of the
354:
Mortuary of
Pychlau family, Russian textile manufacturers
712:
Rīgas dome cer mainīt Pēterbaznīcu pret
Lielajiem kapiem
409:
Burials at the cemetery were drastically reduced after
536:
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:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.