The twin to Alexander Nevsky’s Lazarus Cemetery is the Tikhvin Cemetery, which is literally right next door. However, I’ll call it a fraternal twin as the two cemeteries are actually quite different. As Lazarus Cemetery became more and more crowded, the need for another cemetery for important people arose, and thus Tikhvin cemetery was created in 1823. This is the cemetery to see some of Russia’s greatest artists and scientists, although probably the best-known to Westerners are Tchaikovsky and Dostoevsky. The graves here are almost all sculptures, and they were done by some of the most famous sculptors of their time.

This cemetery feels more like a park than a cemetery. Most of the graves are quite widely spaced apart, and there are a number of hedges that mark off the various sections of the cemetery, which makes it impossible to get closer to see them. There is a small museum on the grounds that has exhibits about different monuments, but I didn’t go it to see it when I was there. What I did appreciate about this cemetery, and Russian cemeteries in general, is that there were plenty of benches to sit on when you wanted to rest, or just to enjoy the surroundings.

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Quality of Monuments: Good – lots of sculptures, mostly bronze (?) with some stone carvings.

Cemetery Grounds: It’s more like a park than a cemetery, with lots of winding paths and benches. It’s a nice place to walk around and hang out.

Visitors: Some tourists were wandering the park, trying to find specific monuments.

Photographer notes: Due to the tall trees there is a lot of dappled light here. Bushes/hedges make it difficult to get close to certain monuments.

DETAILS

Cemetery: Tikhvin Cemetery (Тихвинское кладбище), also known as the Necropolis of Artists

Inaugurated: 1823

Location: Alexander Nevsky Monastery. Get off at Ploshad’ Aleksandra Nevskogo metro stop. The cemeteries and monastery are directly across the busy road from the entrance to the station. This and Tikhvin Cemetery are located just in front of the entrance to the monastery. Facing the monastery, Lazarus is to the left, Tikhvin is to the right. When I went there was a map available in Tikhvin Cemetery, but not Lazarus.

Note: It costs 400 rubles to enter this and Tikhvin Cemetery. This cost is separate from entering the monastery itself.

Hours: 09:30 – 18:00