Pokrov Cemetery, Riga, Latvia

Pokrov Cemetery, Riga, Latvia

Visited July 2016

Adjoining the Great Cemetery of Riga (see earlier post on that one) the Pokrov Cemetery is the burial place of the Russian inhabitants of Riga having been opened in 1773 when Latvia was part of the Russian Empire. The current church dates from 1879, the previous one having burnt down in 1875.

The cemetery is still the main burial place of the Russian community in Riga, and is managed by the Latvian Orthodox Church. Burials were suspended between 1964 and 1991, but now continue. Most of the graves, however, appear to date from the 19th century.

The site is very wooded and feels rural despite being minutes from one of the main tram lines in the city. The old graves are mixed with the new, and there's a real feeling of age and calm to the place. Most impressive is the area with the war graves, and the rather magnificent war memorial featuring an over-lifesize gold-painted Russian solder holding his gun and flag, a genuine piece of Communist art!