Founded in 1811. It’s the most ‘honored’ cemetery in Chișinău. Many nobles alongside regular citizens. It’s falling to decay, as it’s so massive, but there’s constantly work being done by groundskeepers. Walking through it, I was struck by two things that are not common in American cemeteries: Pictures of the deceased prominently displayed on the tombstones, really ‘putting a face with the corpse’ for me. Which, I never knew I needed. Sounds creepy, but it was kind of wild to see the face of someone who was born and who died before I ever came to be. Just gently putting into perspective that life goes on with or without us. We’re so small in relative terms. Secondly, the tables that were on the grave sites. Some were as long as picnic tables. Others were small little cafe-like tables that were obviously meant for visitors to come and sit. A Ukrainian friend explained that once a year there’s a special day where families come and visit their beloveds’ graves…drink and eat, and share stories of their lives. An effort to keep their spirits alive, I guess. 

16jun18 Chișinău , Moldova