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TOMBSTONES AND GRAVESITES IN

RIGA1. MEŽA KAPI

The cemetery tourism in Europe is nothing new, travellers visiting the famous personality

last resting place. In Britain each year thousands of tourists from all over the world

visit the Victorian Highgate cemetery,

Latvia is becoming a popular destination of cemetery tourism, foreign guests instead of the usual points of the object by choosing unusual walk along the famous graveyards.

Walking along the cemetery and visiting famous people graves are informative and helps you to learn more about the Latvian history and culture.

Let`s have a walk along Meža kapi.

Riga Forest graves (Meža kapi) were disovered in 1913.

The project author was Kūfalts. He decided to preserve sandhills and pines. To go along Meža kapi it means to be acquinted with Latvia`s history and art.

Many famous and important people for Latvia are buried there: our presidents (Čakste,Kviesis;Zemgals),writers,artists,

politicians

.

Let`s have a walk along one of central avenues in Riga Meža kapi.

Tomestone to Andrejs Grūtups(1949-2014)

At the main entrance there is a black granite memorial with a poetic name Black pearl. Andrejs Grūtups being ill arranged the memorial for himself.

Vilis Lācis (1904 – 1966)

The memorial to a writer and politician is created by the sculptor Aivars Gulbis and architect Juris Skalbergs.It was set up in 1974.

A monument to the excellent Latvian hockey player Kārlis Skrastiņš. (1974- 2011)

The name of the memorial is «A Falling Star» The sculptor is Ģirts Burvis.

The tomb of the first independent Latvia`s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zigfrids Anna Meierovics. (1887-1925)

The tomb of Zigfrids Anna Meierovics was created by sculptor Žanis Smiltnieks put up in 1929.

The central part of the monument is a granite statue of a woman in national costume – a symbol of «Mouring Latvia»

Imants Kokars (1921 – 2011)

The gravesite is famous for a double portret of twinbrothers Imants (left ) and Gido created by Maija Baltiņa.Opened in 01.07. 2012

«White Crosses » is a graveyard of communist terror victims found in mass graves after the German occupation in July 1941. About 120 victims are reburied there.Names of the victims are engraved on the central part of the Monument.

Memorial WHITE CROSSES

Memorial to the first president of independent Latvia Jānis Čakste (1859-1927)

Monument is opened in 1935 Sculptor Kārlis Jansons.