"Historic period cemeteries and burial grounds are extraordinarily rich data sets for above-ground archaeologists. The study of their gravemarkers can provide new insights into a variety of cultural phenomena, including religious and social beliefs, iconographie, and more broadly, issues of memory, emotion, and commemoration."

Sherene Baugher and Richard Veit (Advances in Gravestone and Cemetery Studies in the United Sates and the Commonwealth of Nations).

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The Old Church of Helsinki (consecrated 1826), was constructed in the midst of a number of graveyards in the Kamppi borough, with an estimate of over 10,000 deceased buried from 1695 to 1829. As the Old Church grounds only has 48 still visible gravemarkers, the Old Church itself is a cenotaph.

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Though the locals call it "Plague Park," due to a plague that killed half the citizens of Helsinki in 1710, the first individuals buried on the grounds were victims of the Great Famine of 1695 to 1697. The last individuals were soldiers from The Battle of Helsinki 12-13 April 1918 and Finnish volunteers of the Estonian War of Independence 1919.

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Itinerary:

1.     Meeting place: Kasarmitori

2.    Smolna: Eteläesplanadi 6 A, 00130 Helsinki

3.    Kappeli

4.    Havis Amanda Statue

5.    Presidential Palace

6.    Sofiankatu

7.    Senate Square

8.    Fazer Café: Kluuvikatu 3 (I can ask ahead of time about certain food restrictions if you would like to shop here for something)

9.    Statue of Johan Ludvig Runeberg: Pohjoisesplanadi 29

10. Swedish Theatre

11.  The Old Church

Ending place: Ekberg Café: Bulevardi 9, (I can make reservations ahead of time and ask about food restrictions if you would like to eat lunch here)