Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery (Cēsis, Latvia)

The Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery is a living archive of regional heritage and collective memory, reflecting centuries of cultural diversity in its multi-faith resting grounds.

About the Cemetery

The Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery was established in 1773 following a decree issued by the Senate of the Russian Empire that prohibited burials within urban churches and churchyards. Until then, the residents of Cēsis had primarily been buried beside St John’s Church in the centre of town. The creation of a new cemetery beyond the urban boundary marked a significant change in burial traditions and in the relationship between the living town and its places of remembrance.

Located on the historic road to Riga, the cemetery served as the principal burial ground for the Lutheran parish and developed alongside the growing town throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. As Cēsis expanded, so did the cemetery. In 1876, the Lutheran section was enlarged westwards and laid out according to a more regular plan, reflecting changing approaches to cemetery design and urban development.

Over time, the cemetery became a shared burial landscape for several religious communities. An Orthodox cemetery was consecrated in 1869, while the Old Jewish Cemetery of Cēsis developed nearby during the second half of the 19th century. Together, these sections provide a unique record of the diverse communities that contributed to the social, cultural and economic life of Cēsis.

Landscape, Architecture and Memorial Heritage

The Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery is valued not only for the people buried there, but also for its distinctive landscape and surviving architectural features. The oldest Lutheran section lies close to the main entrance on Rīgas iela, where visitors enter a space that has served as a place of remembrance for more than 250 years.

The cemetery’s layout still reveals different stages of its historical development. The older areas evolved more organically, while the 1876 extension introduced a network of straight paths and a more formal arrangement of burial plots. These contrasting sections allow visitors to understand how the cemetery grew together with the town.

The most prominent surviving building within the cemetery is the Orthodox chapel, constructed in the 1880s by local builder Wilhelm Hoppe. Its distinctive domed silhouette remains an important landmark and a reminder of the Orthodox community's presence in Cēsis. Throughout the cemetery, visitors can also find historic gravestones, memorial fragments, family plots and monuments that illustrate changing artistic styles, craftsmanship and commemorative traditions over more than two centuries.

Although many monuments were damaged, removed or vandalised during the Soviet period, the cemetery retains a strong sense of authenticity. Surviving pathways, mature trees, historic spatial relationships and hundreds of preserved monuments continue to convey the atmosphere of a historic burial landscape shaped by generations of local residents.

Cemetery Significance

The cemetery reflects more than two centuries of urban, social and cultural history. It is the resting place of merchants, craftsmen, teachers, physicians, clergy, military officers, public officials and families whose lives helped shape the development of Cēsis and the wider Vidzeme region.

Many notable individuals connected with education, medicine, architecture, publishing, photography and public life are buried here. Their monuments and inscriptions provide valuable insight into the town’s past and the people who contributed to its growth and prosperity.

The cemetery also tells a broader story about the changing fortunes of Latvia and its communities. The departure of many Baltic Germans in 1939, the destruction of the Jewish community during the Second World War, and the Soviet occupation after 1944 all left profound marks on the site. During the Soviet era, the cemetery suffered decades of neglect and repeated vandalism. Numerous graves connected with Baltic German families, Jewish residents, clergy, civic leaders and other groups that did not fit the official historical narrative were damaged or abandoned.

As a result, the cemetery has become an important place for understanding not only local history, but also the ways in which political regimes can shape public memory. The surviving monuments and fragments offer tangible evidence of both loss and resilience, preserving stories that might otherwise have disappeared.

Conservation, Research and Community Engagement

Today, the Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery is undergoing a process of rediscovery and renewal. Since 2023, systematic documentation, conservation and public interpretation have been carried out to better understand and protect the site's heritage. More than 800 surviving monuments and monument fragments have been inventoried, while information about hundreds of individuals buried in the cemetery has been researched and made accessible to the public.

Conservation efforts focus on preserving the authenticity of the cemetery rather than recreating an idealised version of the past. Damaged monuments, historic trees, surviving pathways and even traces of loss form an essential part of the site's historical character and significance.

The cemetery has also become an increasingly important place for public education and community involvement. Guided tours, monument restoration workshops, heritage programmes and nature-focused events encourage visitors to explore the site's many layers of history. Since 2025, the annual Cemetery Festival has brought together music, poetry, heritage interpretation and conservation activities, helping to reconnect local residents with a place that was long neglected and misunderstood.

Cemetery address

Rīgas iela 58
LV4101 Cēsis
Latvia

Website

https://kapseta.cesis.lv/

Basic data

Year of first burial: 1785
Year of last burial: 1959
Cemetery area: 3 ha
Approximate number of graves: 4.000

Wolfsberg City Cemetery (Wolfsberg, Austria)

Set on a hillside south of Wolfsberg’s old town, this historic cemetery blends heritage and modern landscape design into a peaceful green space for remembrance.

Historical Development

The Wolfsberg City Cemetery has been an integral part of the town’s urban and cultural development for centuries. Originally, burial grounds were located near the area of the later Capuchin monastery, but in the 17th century they were relocated to the Priel hillside south of the old town as part of early efforts to create one organized and more expandable burial site.

The new cemetery was consecrated in 1636 by Abbot Hieronymus of St. Paul, marking the transition from churchyard burials to a structured municipal cemetery system. Over time, it developed into one of the earliest systematically planned burial sites in the Lavant Valley, with its layered collection of graves reflecting centuries of social change, evolving public health regulations, and the continued expansion of the city.

Landscape and Design

The Wolfsberg City Cemetery is located on a gentle hillside above the city, forming a quiet green space that blends into the landscape of the Lavant Valley. Its layout follows a classic municipal cemetery structure with wide grassy areas, gravel paths, and shaded sections formed by mature deciduous trees. Older sections contain dense, orderly rows of graves, while other areas feature smaller or partially abandoned graves that have gradually become part of the surrounding greenery. This mixture creates a layered landscape where historical burial heritage and natural vegetation coexist.

In recent years, the cemetery has been partly transformed into a more park-like setting, incorporating alternative burial forms and ecological design principles in line with broader European trends toward sustainable, multifunctional green spaces.

Cemetery Chapel

At the heart of the cemetery stands the chapel "To the Fourteen Holy Helpers", built in 1647 and later altered in the 18th and 20th centuries. Architecturally, it is a modest yet significant Baroque structure, featuring a two-bay, cross-rib-vaulted interior and a vaulted entrance vestibule. Despite its simplicity, the chapel holds strong historical and artistic value.

Dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers, it contains their depictions in both painted and sculpted form. Embedded gravestones from the late 16th and 17th centuries further enhance its role as a concentrated expression of regional burial culture. Today, the chapel functions both as a place of worship and as a compact archive of funerary art and local craftsmanship.

Cemetery Significance and Contemporary Use

Throughout its history, the Wolfsberg City Cemetery has reflected the social and historical development of the city. In the 19th and 20th centuries, burial patterns increasingly mirrored the town’s social structure, encompassing middle-class families, craftsmen, and industrial workers. The site also bears traces of 20th-century wartime history, particularly the impacts of military activity, prisoner-of-war camps, and civilian losses during the Second World War, all of which influenced burial practices and increased demand for burial space in the surrounding area.

Today, the cemetery continues to serve multiple roles. It remains an active burial ground and a place of remembrance for local families, while also functioning as a green recreational space within the urban fabric. Its park-like areas support walking, quiet reflection, and educational activities, including environmental and biodiversity studies. The adjacent cemetery park, developed in recent years, introduces contemporary burial concepts and reinforces the site as an example of modern cemetery reform in Austria.

Cemetery address

Lindhofstraße 2a
9400 Wolfsberg
Austria

Website

www.bestattung-wolfsberg.at

Basic data

Year of first burial: 1804
Approximate number of graves: 1.927
Approximate number of yearly burials: 700

Invitation to NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow

Teatro delle Albe invites you to experience NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow, a headphone-guided walk that redefines how we contemplate life, death, and historical cemetery spaces.

About the experience

NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow is an immersive site-specific listening experience by Teatro delle Albe, conceived and directed by Alessandro Renda. Designed for small groups of participants, the project transforms the cemetery into a space for reflection, inviting visitors to explore themes of memory, grief, and the fragility of life through a silent, headphone-guided journey.

Moving among graves, monuments, sculptures, and hidden corners of the cemetery, participants are accompanied by a carefully crafted sound dramaturgy that weaves together personal stories, literary and philosophical reflections, and perspectives on death drawn from different cultures and traditions. The experience unfolds as a collective yet deeply personal journey, encouraging contemplation of the bonds between people, memory, and place.

Neither a guided tour nor a conventional theatre performance, NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow offers a unique way of engaging with cemetery heritage. As visitors walk through the site, the cemetery emerges as a threshold between past and present, life and death, revealing its role not only as a place of remembrance but also as a space for dialogue, reflection, and cultural encounter.

The title Nephesh comes from the Hebrew word that can mean “breath,” “soul,” “life,” or “living being,” reflecting the project's exploration of what remains after death and how memory continues to shape the lives of those who remain.

Summer Tour Dates 2026

➤ Bologna | Cimitero della Certosa

• May 26th, 2026 | 19:00
• June 9th, 11th, 16th, and 25th, 2026 | 19:15
• July 9th, 17th, and 23rd, 2026 | 19:15

In collaboration with Per Aspera Festival

➤ Gorizia | Cimitero Monumentale

• August 26th, 27th, and 28th, 2026 | 19:00

Festival In\Visible Cities - Contaminazioni Digitali

Further Information

For additional information, please contact Francesca Venturi at info@teatrodellealbe.com or +39 335 7173664.

Related links:

• Presentation (PDF)
• Official Website
• Official Trailer

*Photos source: www.teatrodellealbe.com

Highlights from the WDEC 2026 in Krakow

Highlights and photographs from the guided walk held on 27 May 2026 at the New Cemetery of Podgórze in Kraków, Poland.

About the event

More than 30 people attended the guided walk “In the Footsteps of Famous People”, held on 27 May 2026 at the New Cemetery of Podgórze in Kraków. The event was organised by the Association PODGORZE.PL as part of this year’s Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC).

Following a short introduction to the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe (ASCE) and the idea behind WDEC, participants were presented with a brief history of the cemetery. The walk then continued with visits to eight graves of notable individuals buried there, including scouts, painters, and soldiers.

The tour was guided by members of the Association PODGORZE.PL together with invited guests.

More information about the event is available at: https://podgorze.pl/kolejny-spacer-po-nowym-cmentarzu-podgorskim-za-nami/

Photos from the event

Nafplio Cemetery (Nafplio, Greece)

Nafplio Cemetery is a historic 19th-century burial ground and open-air museum showcasing protected Romantic Classical sculptures and the graves of the nation's early elite.

Cemetery History

The current cemetery of Nafplio was established in 1852 following a generous land donation to the Municipality of Nafplio by the great benefactor Michael Iatro. It was built to replace the old burial ground at the chapel of Agioi Pantes, which could no longer accommodate the city’s growing population.

As Nafplio served as the first capital of the independent Greek state, it became a hub for the country’s elite. Politicians, artists, scientists, merchants, and foreign diplomats gathered here, and many found their final resting place in this cemetery. Notably, it includes the graves of prominent Greek writers Angelos Terzakis and Nikos Karouzos, as well as a dedicated military section honoring soldiers and heroes who fought for Greece’s freedom.

Cemetery Art and Architecture

From its earliest years, the Nafplio Cemetery developed into a remarkable site of funerary art. It is characterized by the dominance of Romantic Classicism and is heavily influenced by ancient Greek architecture. The emerging 19th-century Greek bourgeoisie expressed its ideals through diverse architectural styles, ranging from simple graves to grand mausoleums and tombs imitating ancient temples.

The predominant feature is the tombstone column—either plain or adorned with relief carvings of winged figures symbolizing death—along with prominent busts and portraits of the deceased. Masterpieces by renowned 19th- and early 20th-century sculptors such as Iakovos Malakates, Georgios Bonanos, Ioannis Vitsaris, and the Kotzamanis brothers adorn the grounds. The most significant sculptures line the entrance and the path to the small church of Agioi Asomata. Recognizing its immense cultural value, the Greek Ministry of Culture has officially designated thirty-five of these funerary monuments as protected landmarks.

Cemetery Significance

Today, the Nafplio Cemetery is widely regarded as a site of both historical reflection and artistic significance, attracting visitors from across Greece and abroad. Its significance is closely linked to Nafplio’s identity as a city of the arts, home to galleries, exhibitions, and academic institutions dedicated to the performing and visual arts.

Visitors come not only to pay their respects to the deceased but also to experience the cemetery as a peaceful, contemplative space and an open-air museum of sculpture. In its quiet setting, it offers a rare sense of continuity between past and present, where diverse cultural traditions are preserved side by side. In this way, the cemetery provides a direct and meaningful connection to the history, memory, and artistic heritage of Nafplio.

A virtual tour of selected funerary monuments is available HERE.

Cemetery address

21 Mihail Iatrou Str.
21100 Nafplio
Greece

Basic data

Date of first burial: 1852
Cemetery area: 2 ha
Approximate number of graves: 1.600
Approximate number of yearly burials: 150

Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries 2026: Call for Papers

The Cemetery Research Group invites you to participate in the Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries, which will take place entirely online on 20 November 2026.

About the Colloquium

On Friday, 20 November 2026, the Cemetery Research Group will host a virtual colloquium via Zoom.

The event will focus on places and practices relating to the disposal of the dead, including burial, cremation, and other methods.

Tickets for the colloquium will be available on the CRG website from 9 October 2026.

Call for Papers

The colloquium invites scholars working in the social sciences and humanities, as well as postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to submit papers that combine theoretical insight with empirical research on the proposed theme.

Each presentation will be allocated a 30-minute slot, comprising approximately 20 minutes for the presentation followed by time for questions and discussion. The event is open to contributors from around the world, and panels will be scheduled to accommodate different time zones. All presentations must be delivered in English.

Abstracts may be submitted via this Google Form by 2 October 2026.

For any questions, please contact Dr Julie Rugg at julie.rugg@york.ac.uk.

WDEC 2026 at Piran Municipal Cemetery

On 29 May 2026, a special guided tour “Stories of Piran Carved in Stone” took place at the Piran Municipal Cemetery in Piran, Slovenia.

Discovering the Stories of Piran

As part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026, the Public Company Okolje Piran, in cooperation with the Italian Community of Piran, organized a guided tour of the Piran Municipal Cemetery, one of the most significant cultural heritage sites in the Slovenian coastal region.

The event was inspired by the publication of the new brochure “Piran Cemetery – A Journey Through Memory, Art and Local Identity”, prepared by historians Kristjan Knez and Marina Paoletić. Their research and dedication to preserving local heritage formed the basis of this activity, which aimed to reveal the cemetery not only as a place of remembrance but also as a unique open-air museum reflecting the history of Piran and its people.

A Journey Through Art, Architecture, and History

During the guided tour, visitors discovered the architectural and artistic value of eight remarkable family tombs belonging to some of the most influential Piran families. Each monument tells a story about the individuals buried there while also reflecting the artistic styles, social status, cultural influences, and values of the period in which it was created.

Among the highlights were the Bartole family tomb, known for its exceptional stone craftsmanship and symbolic motifs, and the Rota family tomb, inspired by ancient sarcophagi and dedicated to historian, musician, and archivist Stefano Rota. Visitors also explored the monumental Zarotti tomb, the elegant symbolism of the Cicogna tomb, and the artistic significance of the Fonda tomb, one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau funerary sculpture in the region.

A special part of the programme focused on the Neo-Gothic Church of Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus, which has stood at the heart of the cemetery for more than 150 years. Participants learned about its history and the recently completed restoration of the church surroundings, including conservation work on the forecourt, stairways, and historic burial sites.

The tour concluded at the de Castro family chapel, whose distinctive architecture contributes to the visual and cultural identity of the cemetery complex.

Preserving Memory and Local Identity

Through this activity, visitors were invited to experience the cemetery as an open-air gallery, where art, architecture, history, and personal stories intertwine. The event highlighted the role of cemeteries as places of cultural memory and sustainable heritage, helping preserve local identity while fostering public appreciation of historical landscapes for future generations.

You can read more about the event HERE.

Photos from the event:

25 years of preserving the heritage of humanity

Since 2001, members of ASCE have gathered in mission to preserve and promote the cultural heritage, resting in cemeteries. Join us in celebrating 25 years of our joint efforts through two special activities.

Our Mission and Journey

Since 2001, members of ASCE have gathered in mission to preserve and promote the cultural heritage, resting in cemeteries.

To tackle the common belief that these are the places of death and instead focusing on the stories of life. Millions of stories expressed through tiny symbols on tombstones or grandeur of chapels and mausoleums, each being a masterpiece of its own.

ASCE became the largest and most important international association working on this mission. Gaining recognition and influencing how the public and institutions perceive cemeteries. Through changing their perception we gather more support in performing our activities.

A Continuous Process

It is a continuous process now embodied in various projects of ASCE like Week Of Discovering European Cemeteries, European Cemeteries Route, Symbols, Schools on cemeteries, Cemeteries for Sustainable Europe, Peace tree and many others.

This is the work of countless people; cemeteries employees, enthusiasts, researchers, managers and other professionals who find our common mission important.

Yet this is the work that never stops. Each day is a discovery of an old story, a start of a new story waiting to be discovered. Every year we find new challenges that we must overcome at our cemeteries.

This is why we must celebrate the achievements of the past 25 years and look forward to the future. Finding more opportunities to cooperate with each other, more ideas to work together on common projects.

Join the Celebration

Presidency and Steering Committee of ASCE invite you to mark our joint efforts this year by 2 activities:

• Publish and encourage sending of our symbolic postcard.
• Print the 25 years banner and when performing your activities this year, send us a photo with the banner in the background.

25 Years of ASCE Postcard

The 25th winter Olympic games in Milan took place as 25 years of ASCE is celebrated.

To celebrate both, our anniversary postcard is dedicated to the memories of life of extraordinary athletes resting in Significant Cemeteries of Europe. Those who mastered their body and mind to move the boundaries. Either by setting the records or competing at the olympic games. Winter or summer.

Members of ASCE are invited to use the postcard template and print their own version, exposing the athletes that are resting in their cemetery and other cemeteries all over Europe.

How to participate?

• Download the template.
• Change 1-3 circles with your own choice of athletes.
• Make sure you send one postcard to the address of ASCE presidency:
  
  ASCE
  Cesta XIV. divizije 39a
  2000 Maribor
  Slovenia

Download PDF

25 Years of ASCE Banner

Let’s celebrate 25 years of ASCE together, all over Europe. At any event you organise or take part in this year, display the ASCE 25 years banner and capture a memorable photo with your participants.

To showcase our unity, send us photos from the event along with a short description of the occasion, so that we can share them on our website, social media, and other communication channels.

Show us how proud you are to be part of the largest network working towards a common mission of preserving and promoting the cultural heritage resting in cemeteries.

How to participate?

• Print out the official ASCE 25 years banner.
• Gather your staff and visitors in front of it during events.
• Snap a photo and email it to us alongside your event description to be featured at:
  
  admin@significantcemeteries.org

Download PDF

WDEC 2026 in Barcelona Cemeteries

As part of the WDEC 2026, Cementiris de Barcelona is showcasing its educational programme “Life Lessons: Cemeteries as Educational Heritage”.

About the programme

One of the pillars of Cementiris de Barcelona is its educational service, which works to promote Barcelona’s cemeteries as cultural assets of exceptional importance, fostering public knowledge and helping to normalize death. This mission is reflected in the programme "Life Lessons: Cemeteries as Educational Heritage". Although featured during WDEC 2026, the programme is not limited to this one week. Educational activities are conducted throughout the year across several Barcelona cemeteries, demonstrating the organisation’s long-term commitment to learning, cultural heritage, and community engagement.

The educational activities, tailored to various learning stages, offer a unique opportunity to explore the rich funerary heritage of the Poblenou and Montjuïc cemeteries—both classified as monumental by the Council of Europe—as well as the Funeral Carriage Collection, the Funerary Library, and other cemeteries in Barcelona. Together, these sites represent a significant cultural legacy and a collective memory shared by society.

This initiative is led by the team at Cementiris de Barcelona: highly qualified professionals committed to continuous improvement, who balance compassionate care for families during the farewell process with excellence in educational outreach. By engaging students in meaningful educational experiences, the educators foster deep respect for heritage preservation while working to normalise death as an essential, natural part of life.

By addressing a fundamental topic that remains taboo for many, these activities provide a supportive space for reflection. The subject of mortality is approached with the utmost respect for diverse beliefs, religions, and cultural traditions, allowing participants to fully appreciate the rich symbolic expressions that define Barcelona’s funerary heritage.

You can read more about the programme HERE.