Tikhvin Cemetery

As we had been to Saint Petersburg many times before we decided to visit some spots off the beaten path. Erkki remembered once he had been to a beautiful cemetery and wanted to re-visit it. So one of the mornings we headed to Ploshchad Aleksandra Nevskogo metro station.

Tikhvin Cemetery (Тихвинское кладбище) is located at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. It was established in 1823, some of the notables buried here are: Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

It was an early morning and the cemeteries were not yet open (keep in mind, they are open from 9:30am every day except Thursday) and we walked around the monastery.

Alexander Nevsky Monastery

Alexander Nevsky Monastery

There were not many people as the next service at the monastery church starts at 10am on most weekdays. The absence of people was compensated by numerous birds.

Alexander Nevsky Monastery

On one side if the road there is so called "Master's Cemetery where famous writers, actors and composers are buried. The monuments were beautiful but a little too formal.

Some details from Master's Necropolis

On the other side of the road lays 18th century necropolis where rich and noble but not famous people are buried. The monuments there were to  our mind less formal, more symbolic and more creative.

General view of necropolis with monastery background

Some monuments were complete multi-figured sculptures using different materials.

One of the complex monuments

This monument uses different colors of marble

Some were high reliefs with complex poses, emotions and symbols: the person buried here was among others founder of the science academy and supporter of arts which is represented by a globe and lyre in the bottom left corner.

A very sad monument: look at the depth of emotions!

Some mid-reliefs were made of bronze and represented complex heraldic compositions including coat of arms, armor, flags, scull and bones... In the 18th century it could be read as a book as every element made sense.

Bronze heraldic composition

There were more transparent symbols: crying figures...

Crying figures

...some demonstrated what "laid to rest" means

Laid to rest

It was a surprise for us to see on many tombstones skull and bones. For a while we were sure it was pirate symbol. Up until we visited Camp Hill cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. We were surprised to see skull and bones as a repeated motive on many tombstones. 

The skull and cross bones are know as a Memento Mori, a reminder of our own mortality if you will, the hour glass also serves as a reminder that the sands of time are running out.

Information board explained that this motive was used in earlier burials and was later on replaced by winged heads. We were surprised to find out that

It is estimated that up to 1750 at least 90% of the gravestones displayed winged skulls. The oldest stones have grim images suggesting pessimism about the soul ascending to heaven. Note the use of symbols such as bones, hourglass or flames of hell. 

So skull and cross bones not only are used in Jolly Roger but also in tombstones that can be found in Europe, America and now Russia:

Scull symbols: the bottom sculls look happy even though the souls represented by bees are obviously leaving them... 

There were many more symbols: anchor apparently symbolizing a seaman, cut down tree with its crown next to it, hooped snake symbolizes eternal life - no beginning, no end, hourglass - passage of time, phoenix bird - rebirth, rose symbolizes beauty... There was even a masonic  eye within a sunburst.

Other symbols