Tallinn’s oldest cemetery—a 16th-century graveyard located in the historic suburb of Kalamaja— was controversially transformed in the 1960s into a recreation park during the Soviet occupation. Recently, recognition of the park’s importance to Estonian cultural heritage has led to its restoration and it is now a space for both recreation and memory. Several of the ancient tombstones have been retrieved and are gathered on display by the original baroque gate tower, and a special area marks former burial spots. Today, the multi-functional park is a local favorite. Lacking the grandiosity…
