Explore Virtual Strolls through Latvia's Cemeteries online
Digitizing Latvia's Cemeteries: A Step Towards Accessible Heritage
In a bid to modernize and preserve centuries-old traditions, the Latvian company Cemety.lv is spearheading the digitization of cemeteries across the country. The goal is to make the data easily accessible and reduce the reliance on paper records.
The system, designed for the convenience of cemetery maintainers, managers, and residents, aims to make the centuries-old tradition of the Cemetery Festival more accessible through digitization. It allows anyone to search for the burial places of their relatives, friends, acquaintances, or update the information available.
The process involves several key steps. On-site data collection teams visit cemeteries across Latvia, photographing headstones and memorials, capturing inscriptions, names, dates, and other relevant details. Each grave is geotagged using GPS technology to precisely map its location within the cemetery, making it easier for users to locate graves on site and navigate the cemetery digitally.
The collected information is then transcribed and entered into a digital database. This data is checked for accuracy, cross-referenced against existing records when available, and verified for completeness. The photographs, transcriptions, and geographic data are organized in a structured database, preserving the information for long-term access and protection against physical deterioration of tombstones.
The assembled data is uploaded to Cemety.lv’s online platform, where it is accessible to the public. Users can search for individual graves, explore cemetery maps, and view digital images of memorials. The system also allows for quick and efficient access to information, making genealogical research more straightforward.
Community contributions are encouraged, with relatives and community members invited to contribute additional information, corrections, or photos, enhancing the richness and accuracy of the records over time. The project may also coordinate with cemetery administrations, local governments, and historical societies to ensure comprehensive coverage and alignment with preservation efforts.
The digitization process was inspired by the inconvenience experienced by a colleague who needed to find a specific place in Riga Forest Cemetery and was unable to do so efficiently using traditional methods. Most cemetery managers use raggedy notebooks for data recording, which often lack essential details like burial locations.
Photos of burial places can be changed if users clean up and take new pictures. Digitization aims to prevent data loss due to papers getting lost, broken, or burned. The system is useful for family research and allows for a more accessible and efficient way to honour and remember loved ones.
The project is carried out in cooperation with municipalities, with a municipality's employee trained to work with the system and enter new data. The system is publicly accessible on Cemety.lv, and as of now, it allows searching through 587 cemeteries and nearly two million burials. With this initiative, Cemety.lv is creating a digital memorial resource that enhances genealogical research, heritage preservation, and public access to Latvia’s cemetery records.
- This collaboration with municipalities has expanded the digital platform to include data from 587 home-and-garden spaces, known as cemeteries, across Latvia, hosting nearly two million travel destinations, or burial sites.
- As cultural-travel enthusiasts trace their roots through Latvian soil, they can now easily navigate digital maps of these century-old lifestyle hubs, effortlessly locating the graves of their ancestors among the vast array of memorials and headstones.
