Novodevichii Nekropol - Examining an old ruined cemetery at St.Petersburg (18 photo)
Like many of us, I feel sad about the shutdown of the Pinmapple project. I never spammed to the map with skin-deep posts and never abused the tag, adding it to my every walk... Heh. Today I invite you to walk with me across the Novodevichii Nekropol at St.Petersburg (Moskovski ave, 100).
In the past I did shared stories about this place a few times, but always wanted to create an exaustive story about this intresting place - and put the Pin to the map.. Well, it just did not happen, and I feel sad about it. Ok, lets go and just enjoy the visuals. This is also a post to go with #WednesdayWalk challenge by @tattoodjay.
Blogs about my previous visits to this place: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
In early spring when the snow already melted, it looked very bright, mossy and green.
Can you find here a single one intact grave? that is a hard tack. Well, there are a few... but still, the rest are... you see.
The overwhelming majority of crosses and graves have been destroyed - some less, others more. Broken crosses evoke sad feelings; even a stone is not eternal. Once upon a time, land for burial in a cemetery was being sold for 20, 50 years, and “for eternal amount of time” - alas, for many spots this eternity did not last even 25 years.
Growing trees contribute to the destruction of stone. Maybe, after all life is stronger than death?..
Sad angel.
The tombstones monuments are not as luxurious works of art as the old medieval cemeteries of Italy can boast, but still they are wonderful statues that attract one's eye and feed the mind with beauty and emotions.
Tombstone on the grave of an artillery general. No pink snot or curly frills - just a stern army simplicity: the massive black granite block with slightly rounded edges, and the cross carved along the entire length of the top side. Minimalism as it is - quite impressive! @millycf1976 (And, I should note, such design works best in contrast, being set up among the array of ornated ones).
Below is the view at the tombstone from the opposite.
The half-erased engraving says: "Genova... 1878". The noble coat of arms on the end of the tombstone directly shows that an aristocrat of not the worst kind, who has a coat of arms, noble ancestors and a glorious pedigree, is buried here.
Inscription "Domenico Carli Fece" brings us to the author of the monument - a famous Italian sculptor of XIX century. Nice! But I opt out to determine who exactly is buried here without studying the documentation. And quite possible that archives do not know this either - information about the burials of this necropolis has been lost. (Like most of the burials, as well. Alas!)
And by the way, the top of this tomb, as you can see from the photo, is lost - there was supposed to be some element on its top, most likely a cross... However, this tombstone have preserved much better than others, which were less fortunate.
Marble burial urn - I don't think it was that easy to destroy. But the barbarians were able to do that (several barbarians generations in a row - thats a force difficult to resist even for a stone ...)
And a piece of funny, but bittersweet thing: see, I come to visit this cemetery periodically, 1-2 times a year... and during my visit this spring, I noticed an unusual innovation: many of the crypts appeared to be equipped with bars, blocking the barbarians from entering! but the funny thing is, that for previous hundred years this cemetery was robbed, stripped and destroyed without any control, now it is an empty stable where all the horses were taken away - only empty walls can be guarded now. So, these bars are an example of "a good grimace at a bad game."
The cemetery has two dozen beautiful crypts, of which the most outstanding is the burial of Lucia Teresa Matilda van der Pals, the wife of Heinrich van der Pals, Dutch consul and owner of 'Triangle' - St.Petersburg's largest rubber factory.
Note said bars blocking the entrance to the chapel (quite visible in this fresh photo). A few years ago I was able to enter and made some darken blurry captures - but now I cant do even this.
The tomb and chapel were built by Lucia's brother, the architect William Johansen. He is also the author of the van der Pals mansion (located at 8/10 English Avenue) - a wonderful architectural pearl of St. Petersburg.
Another example of minimalism. Cant you see, that minimalistic stuff does survive better, the pressure of time?... (simply because it has a smaller area of contact with the destructive impact, lol).
The date of burial is barely readable: "1932" - and the name is not decypherable at all.
You may find this picture funny. This is a real example of “wheels-mounted coffin.” It is the family burial place of boyar Fyodor Zhukovsky and his wife. This indeed is not a most common form of the tombstone - someone clearly had imagination, and managed to stand out and leave a bright mark in history.
Before the revolution, it was an elite cemetery, number two or number three (even more expensive and pretentious - Lazarevskoye, and the Nevsky Lavra cemetery). The land for burials here was very expensive, so only the aristocracy, high officials and bureaucracy, the most prominent merchants were buried here. , lost inscriptions and identification of burials... When you walk in the footsteps of destroyed beauty, seeing these mutilated fragments and remains around - its melancholy atmosphere penetrates you and touches, squeezes your soul. (Which, in principle, is precisely the task of the cemetery).
The Novodevichy cemetery is very deserted: there are no crowds here, usually during my visits I encounter no more than 3-4 strangers on the paths. Thus, this is an ideal location to be alone and think sad thoughts about eternity... More visuals of this intresting cemetery I will share another time in the other blog.
| location: | St.Petersburg, Russia | March 2024 | natural light |
| camera/lens: | Canon 5D | Canon 70-200mm 2.8L | raw-conv |
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It's such a shame to see cemetery's like that one fall into disrepair. There is so much beautiful art and history that is being lost. You captured some great images, I like visiting historic sites like those myself. Some here in the US from 300 years ago have the tomb stones weathering and becoming hard to read from erosion.
The cemeteries in Italy are really nice, in New Orleans here it the US there are some cool ones too!
New Orleans ones might be pretty oldie, too? XIX or maybe even XVIII century?..
Yes, it is pure shame :( and nothing can be done, when the damage is done. Minced meat cannot be turned back into meat :/
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In New Orleans they're all above ground, so it's the cemetery is full of crypts. It's pretty cool!
I hope they try to maintain what's left there, it's a shame to lose all that beautiful work!
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Thanki for the beer. I have to google now the images, feeling hooked xD
Beautiful sadness, a great reportage!
Mille Grazie!
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I love old cemeteries and all the history they contain. It's especially interesting when there is a guide who can tell the stories of the people buried there.
Wonderful photos
I definitely will write the story about this cemetery's dramatic history. Creating a blog about the persons buried there, is harder, and can take very solid amount of time from me. I dont give a promise, but I really want to! Thats my intention. Glad you enjoyed the visuals. A slice of !PIZZA maybe is not the best idea to accompany the cemetery walk, but.... here it is! hot and juicy 😜 🐈🐈
such a wonderful place.
Yes, one of the few cemeteries I would say 'a must' for St.Petersburg's visitor. Ofc, if you are into such kind of a stuff.
What do you mean by land of cemetery is sold for 20,50 years? Does it mean after then, the grave will be destroyed?
Exactly so. Just use the word 'was', not 'is'. It was a common practice at the time.
The logic was like that: a wet soil “recycles” the corpse and coffin buried in it in apparently 20 years, after which the place is ready for the next burial -> this is the re-use of city cemetery's territory. It would be more correct to say that the land is not sold, but is leased... leased - for a period of 25, 50, or 100+ years.
Hiya, @livinguktaiwan here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Travel Digest #2225.
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Wow! How darkly beautiful! there were goths hanging out there in the 2000s anyway.
wow, gorgeous, is like a place that is lost in the time, I don't know why but somehow feels romantic and mysterious at the same time, like to writing a story, thank you for sharing it!! love it
Sure, it does! like most of ancient cemeteries, (me thinks). Glad you enjoyed the visuals! 🙏
It is because they indeed are beautiful, I love them, are peaceful, mysterious and gorgeous in a tetric and nostalgic way, have you heard that in 19 century they were even like parks?
It is a shame to see the Pinmapple close, I have stuck a few pins and enjoy it. On the positive side, it has had a good run though and well done to those who have been running the project for so long.
This was a nice walk through the cemetary, the crypts sparked my interest the most. It is surprising how damaged and descerated it all is. I've not been such an avid explorer of cemetaries, as it seems kinda spooky. I am still not sure whether I want to go into a cemetary when I pass, I just cant make up my mind somwhow.
If I could choose, personally I'd rather want my ash to be scattered above the ocean. But technically / financially it isnt an available option ... Cemeteries is (old ones) are historic pages, a little time machine. Ofc, the new, running currently ones is a totally different thing - they swell with corpses. But old ones smell with history, not with dead men...
Some crypts on this Necropol are simply stunning! I am going to check for already two (!) years another cemetery, more noble one. Hope there will be more intresting trophies. Meanwhile, I visit time after time only this one (ut is located comfortably for me to go there).
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