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Cemetery Details
Brothers' Cemetery Brāļu Kapi
The burial ground of the cemetery
Year established:	1915
Country:	Latvia
Location:	Riga
Type:	public
Size:	~9 hectares
Number of gravesites:	>2800

The Brothers' Cemetery or Cemetery of the Brethren (in Latvian "Brāļu Kapi") also sometimes referred to in English as the Common Graves or simply as the Military Cemetery, is a military cemetery and national monument in Riga, capital of Latvia.

The cemetery is a memorial to and burial ground for thousands of Latvian soldiers who were killed between 1915 and 1920 in World War I and the Latvian War of Independence.

It was built as an integrated combination of sculpture and landscaping between 1924 and 1936, to designs by the sculptor Kārlis Zāle, many of whose sculptures feature prominently, by the architects P. Feders, A. Birzenieks, P. Kundziņš, the landscape gardener Andrejs Zeidaks, the sculptors J. Cirulis and F. Valdmanis and others.^[1]

1 History
2 Design
3 Restoration
4 Burials
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

On 26 September 1914 Riga City Council received a request to set aside burial grounds, which could later form a separate cemetery, for soldiers killed in action during the war. The dunes next to the Forest cemetery were chosen for the purpose. The first soldiers buried there, on 15 October 1915, were J. Stūris, A. Havernass and I. Timms. As the war continued more and more burials were made, and it soon became necessary to plan them so that the graveyard could be extended as needed. Such a plan was made by Andrejs Zeidaks, then the head gardener of the city. In 1920 a committee for overseeing First world war cemeteries and battle fields was formed, it also oversaw development of Brothers' Cemetery.^[2] The development of the memorial can rougly be devided in two periods. First was period of landscape development, which lasted until 1923, during which period landscape was developed according to Zeidaks ideas. Meanwhile arhetectonical and artistic development of the cemetery was discussed. In 1921 and in 1921 closed design contests took place. Sculptor Kārlis Zāle, who was visiting Riga to participiate in design contest of Freedom Monument, was invited to participiate in the second contest, he won and second phase of development, which lasted until 1936, begun. In this period lanscape was suplemented with arhetectonical and sculptural elements forming an unified ensemble in accordance with Zāle's project. Arhetectonical works were led by P. Feders, architect A. Birznieks and sculptors M. Šmalcs, N. Maulics, P. Banders were also involved. The founding stone of the memorial was laid on 18 November 1924. First sculpture group of dying riders was unveiled on 20 November 1927, the second - on 2 September 1928. Sculpture of Mother was unveiled on 13 October 1929. Building of main gates begun in 1930. Later statues of soldiers with shields symbolizing four regions of Latvia were chieseled. In 1936 in the back wall coats of arms of 19 districts of Latvia and cities of Latvia were chieseled. The memorial was dedicated on 11 November 1936 in presence of President of Latvia and the government.^[3]

1958 no Marsa laukuma Ļeņingradā atstiepa mūžīgo uguni , pirmmetu 1916-17 izstrādā Zeidaks+Laube, 1920 nodibina Br. kap. kom. , kas labiekārto un izbūvē, , ansambli radījuši, Birzenieks, Zāle, P. Feders un Zeidaks,

autori:Zāle, Birzenieks, Feders un Zeidaks, , pamatakmens ielikts 1924 g. novembrī, 1927 gatava pirmā skullptūra -mirstošais jātnieks, , 1828 sāk Latviju, 1933 pabeidz uguns altāri (un priekš kam mums altāris, ja uguns no Ļeņingradas ? Vienīgi varbūt pa kara laiku to izdzēsa un tāpēc atjaunoja ?), 1936 g. novembrī iesvēta, izveidē piedalījās arī arh, P. Kundziņš ar palīgiem J. Ķezberu un V.Mizu, Zāles skulptūras šūnakmenī kala J. Cīrulis, F.Valdmanis, M. Šmalcs, N. Maulics, P.Banders,

[edit] Design

The cemetery takes up 9 hectares in Northeastern Riga 5 kilometers from city center, it borders First forest cemetery and Rainis cemetery.^[4] The memorial expresses national gratitude to falen heroes trough cultural references to Latvian nation.^[5] The main gate of the cemtery is 10 meters high and 32 meters wide. The enterance is sided by two sculptural groups of dying horsemen - placed on 2 meters high platforms, the 3.3 meters high sculptures depict two pairs of ancient Latvian horsemen. The riders and horses in the right sculptural group have stright stances, one of the horses has throwed back its head upward movement dominates in the sculptural group, it is contrasted by the left sculptural group dominated by downward movemented expressed trough bowed heads of the riders and horses, the riders have lowered their shields and flags they are carrying. Above the enterence dates 1915 (in which first burials in the cemetery were made) and 1920 (the last year of the Latvian War of Independence), inbetween the dates the gate is decorated with Coat of arms of Latvia.^[6] From the main enterence the 205 meters long Road of thoughts leads trough alley of linden trees to Terrace of heroes encircled by oak grove planted in 1923.^[7] The terrace, paved with plates of tufa, is about 73 meters wide and 78 meters long, the 1 meter high altar of enternal fire is placed in its center.^[8] As the Terrace of heroes rises above the Road of thoughts it hides the central burial ground, which is on lower level than the Road of thoughts, from the sight until one has crossed the terrace, thus the terrace provides overview of the burial field and forms a barrier between the world of living and world of the dead.^[9] There is a parapet with flower altar on edge of the Terrace facing the burial ground; it is sided by two staircaises descending to the main burial ground.^[10] The main burial ground is encicrcled by walls. At the edges of the main burial ground there are two 3.6 meters high sculptural groups of dying horsemen. In the middle part of the burial grounds there is Alto-relievo Fallen brothers. The gravemarkers are tufa or limestone slabs on them the name and surname of the fallen, rank, lifetime or "unknown" and is written. The graves are ordered in lines and there is hedge between each two lines. At the end of the burial ground there is a 6 metes high wall decorated with coats of arms of Cities and districts of Latvia. In the middle of the end wall is 9 meters high base upon which 10 meters high sculpture of grieving mother Latvia and her dead sons stands. The mother, dressed in stylized national costume, is holding a wrath of oak leaves made of bronze in her left hand and the national flag with the right hand. At her feet her fallen sons are lying under their shields, both holding swords in their hands. Inthe wall under the sculpture a cross is chieseled and in a niche stans a tray holding soil from 517 perishes of Latvia. This central group is sided by two 1.8 meters high sculptures of ancient Latvian warriors standing on 1.2 meters high bases, who symbolize the Regions of Latvia as they are bearing regional coats of arms on their shields - the two warriors to left symbolize Courland and Semigalia, whil the two on right - Vidzeme and Latgale. The total lenght of the complex if mesured from the gates to sculpture of Latvia is 457 meters.

pirmie apbedījumi 1915. gadā, vairāk kā 2000, 1915-1923 veidota ainava atbilstoši Rīgas dārzu direktora Zeidaka priekšlikumiem, kompleksa realizācija kopš BK kom. nod., otrajā posmā līdz 1936 g 11 nov. kad iesvēta, BK kļūst par leilāko memoriālo ansambli Ljā, tautas svētceļojumu vietu, pauž tautas pateicību, tautas klātbūtne izpaužas 3 elementos- 1. ainavā izmantoti Latvijai, lauku sētai, folklorai raksturīgi augi - liepas, ozoli, bērzi, mežrozītes (jāpapēta, kur ir pēdējie divi), 2. tēlniecībā heroizēti senl. kareivju tēli, heraldiski elementi, kas atspoguļo 1936 g. adminstratīvo iedalījumu- 4 novadi, 19 apriņķi, 59 pilsētas, urnā pie mātes Latvijas iebērta zeme no 517 riekšas zemes - no katra pagasta viena, 3. arhitektūra, jo lizmantots vietējais šūnakmens

[edit] Restoration

restaurēts 50. g beigās (vad. arh. P.Saulītis) un 80-90 g. (vad. arh. R.Aide), kopj B.P un B.K pārvalde

50 g. beigās P.Saulīša vadībā notikusi restaurācija

[edit] Burials

It also contains, as reburials, graves of Latvians killed during World War II and of holders of the Lāčplēsis War Order (Latvian: Lāčplēša Kara ordenis), awarded for extraodinary merit during the Latvian War of Independence. Padomju laikā Rīgas Brāļu kapos tika apbedīti arī sarkanās armijas kareivji.

apbedījumi kopš 1915. g oktobra, WWI kritušie strēlnieki, pēc Februāra rev. nošuti kareivji, kas atteikušies cīnīties Krievijas armijā, 1919/ g pavasarī apglabāti sarkanie strēlnieki un LPSR zemkopības komisārs F.Roziņš, Ljas armijas virsnieki, 1944. g. rudenī 130 (sarkanie) latviešu strēlnieki, kas krituš atbrīvojot Rīga (vai tās nebija tās kaujas, kuras izdomāja ?), 1958. g. 22 jūlijā WWII frontēs kritušos un partizānus tsk. 201 strēlndivīzijas komisāru E. Birzīti, apakpulk. J. Cini, gv. leit. L. Kažemaku, sanit. Z.Ozolu, partiz. A. Balodi un J. Kaupužu utt., 60-80 g. liepu alejas kreisā pusē ievērojamus rev., pilsoņu (?) un tēvijas k. dalībniekus, partijas un pad. iest. darb., 1942 Zāli, 1980 arh. A Birzenieks

apbedīti arī Ljas arm virsn LKO kavalieri (150), 1941-1944 g. A frontē kritušie latv kar, leģionāri,46 aviācijas uzlidojumos bpjā gājuši gaisa spēku palīgi, mūsdienās pārapbeda ārzemēs mirušos LKO kavalierus, 2001 g. urna ar Noriļskas soda nometnēs mirušo Ljas. arm. virsn. simboliskiem pīšļiem