Cemeteries of Haapsalu

 

Two oldest known cemeteries in Haapsalu were located east from the Episcopal Castle – in Krahviaed and around the St. John's church. Both cemeteries are now totally destroyed. In the Middle Ages people were also buried beneath the floors of St. John's church and the Cathedral in addition to the burials to cemeteries.

In 1773 Mrs Barbara von Richter from Uuemõisa Mansion donated a piece of land for the cemetery of Haapsalu Lutheran church. The donated plot was located afar from the buildings of the town of Haapsalu, on a field west from the intersection  of postal roads to Tallinn and Pärnu. The cemetery was consecrated on August 06,  1773.

In 1863 the area between old cemetery and Posti street was taken into use as cemetery. In 1897 a small Orthodox Church was built to the west side of the cemetery. The fields between the cemetery and the town were divided into plots and housing developed between 19^th – 20^th century.  The road between the town and the cemetery (today's Kalevi Street) was then called Jerusalem Street.