Metsakalmistu () is a cemetery in the

Pirita Pirita is one of the eight administrative districts () of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Pirita occupies a relatively large area, but compared to other districts of Tallinn its population of 17,592 (as of 1 November 2014) is relatively small. ...

district of

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

History

Metsakalmistu was originally planned to be a public central city cemetery.

Eduard Vilde Eduard Vilde ( – 26 December 1933) was an Estonian writer, a pioneer of critical realism in Estonian literature, and a diplomat. He was the author of classics such as ''The War in Mahtra'' and ''The Milkman from Mäeküla''. He was one of the ...

was the first to be buried in 1933. The original area of the cemetery was 24.2 hectares, but it has since expanded to 48.3 hectares. Metsakalmistu was officially opened in 1939. That same year, 15 people were buried in the cemetery. In 1939, the nearby Kloostrimetsa Farm cemetery was created, which eventually, through expansion, became part of an expanded Metsakalmistu. At first, the designers of the cemetery were unanimous about the general design requirements of the cemetery, but the area was still dominated by the appearance of a wild forest. Initially, there was placement of crosses, girders, ranks, and calcareous stones, the largest size of which were 80 × 50 cm. Subsequently, the use of natural barriers, such as grass slabs, were built and have been extended to include a moss bed cover, along with borders marked by flowers. Monumental gravestones were not recommended initially for the cemetery, but they still exist to a small extent. At present, the permissible maximum height for a pillar is 1.5 m. The main chapel of Metsakalmistu was built in 1936, with its main architect being Herbert Johanson. The chapel was vandalized by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

after the establishment of the

Estonian SSR The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, (abbreviated Estonian SSR, Soviet Estonia, or simply Estonia ) was an administrative subunit ( union republic) of the former Soviet Union (USSR), covering the occupied and annexed territory of Estonia ...

, but in 1996, it was restored with the support of the Tallinn City Government. In 2006, a

columbarium A columbarium (; pl. columbaria), also called a cinerarium, is a structure for the reverential and usually public storage of funerary urns holding cremated remains of the dead. The term comes from the Latin ''columba'' (dove) and originally solel ...

was built. Tombstones in Metsakalmistu are reserved for notable Estonian people involved in, among other professions, theatre, sports, composing, writing, the arts, journalism, medicine, architecture, and science, as well as other public figures; those who were soldiers in the

Finnish Infantry Regiment 200 Infantry Regiment 200 (, ) or soomepoisid (''Finnish Boys'') was a unit in the Finnish army during World War II made up mostly of Estonian volunteers, who preferred to fight against the Soviet Union in the ranks of the Finnish army instead of th ...

, as well as the veterans of the

Estonian War of Independence The Estonian War of Independence, also known as the War of Freedom in Estonia, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Soviet Russian westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the ...

, are also buried here.Metsakalmistu plan
/ref>

Notable people interred in the cemetery

* Evald Aav *

Urmas Alender Urmas Alender (22 November 1953 – 28 September 1994) was an Estonian singer and musician, the vocalist of popular Estonian bands Ruja and Propeller. Born in Tallinn, Estonia, Alender began his musical career in the rock band Shades in 19 ...

(

cenotaph A cenotaph is an empty grave, tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere or have been lost. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although t ...

) *

August Alle August Alle ( – 8 July 1952) was an Estonian writer.Endel Nirk, Arthur Robert Hone, Oleg Mutt, ''Estonian Literature: Historical Survey with Biobibliographical Appendix'', Published by Perioodika, 1987, p. 215. Early life August Alle was the ...

Ants Antson Ants Antson (11 November 1938 – 31 October 2015) was an Estonian speed skater who competed for the Soviet Union. Biography Antson trained at the Kalev Voluntary Sports Society. Coached by former World, Olympic, and European Champion Boris S ...

Lydia Auster Lydia Martynovna Auster (; 30 May 1912 – 3 April 1993) was a Soviet and Estonian composer. She was born in Petropavlovsk, Akmolinsk Oblast, Russian Empire. After musical studies in Omsk in 1927–1931, she transferred to the Leningrad Conserv ...

Eduard Bornhöhe Eduard Brunberg ( – 17 November 1923), known by the pen name Eduard Bornhöhe, was an Estonian writer. Bornhöhe is generally considered a pioneer of the genre of the Estonian historical novel, as the majority of his creations consist of roma ...

Heino Eller Heino Eller (7 March 188716 June 1970) was an Estonian composer and pedagogue, known as the founder of contemporary Estonian symphonic music. Life and career Eller was born in Tartu on 7 March 1887, where he took private lessons in violin and ...

* August Englas *

Gustav Ernesaks Gustav Ernesaks (12 December 1908 – 24 January 1993) was an Estonian composer and a choir conducting, conductor. Biography Gustav Ernesaks was born on 12 December 1908 in Perila, Estonia. He was educated at the Estonian Academy of Music an ...

Ants Eskola Ants Eskola (17 February 190814 December 1989, known until 1935 as Erhard-Voldemar Esperk)Eskola 1986: 7 was a Soviet and Estonian actor, singer and artist. He appeared in 25 films from 1930 to 1979. People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist ...

Illar Hallaste Illar Hallaste (6 May 1959, Kohtla-Järve – 27 October 2012, Tallinn) was an Estonian cleric, politician, lawyer, and businessman, most notable for being a voter for the Estonian restoration of Independence. Education Hallaste studied in Kohtl ...

Helle-Reet Helenurm Helle-Reet Helenurm (26 January 1944 – 23 February 2003) was an Estonian actress whose career began in 1968 in theatre. She also performed as a radio, television, and film actress until her death, aged 59, of cancer. Early life and education ...

* Johannes Hint * Ella Ilbak *

August Jakobson August Jakobson (2 September 1904 – 23 May 1963) was an Estonian writer and politician. He was one of the few Estonian playwright among his contemporaries whose plays were untouched by Soviet censorship and reached other Soviet states. He h ...

Jaak Joala Jaak Joala (26 June 1950 – 25 September 2014) was an Estonian singer, musician and a member of two bands: Kristallid and Virmalised. He began as a flautist, later adding singing and bass guitar. Biography Early life Jaak Joala was born i ...

Jüri Järvet Jüri Järvet (18 June 19195 July 1995), born Georgi Kuznetsov, was a Soviet Estonian actor. Biography Jüri Järvet's birthname was Georgi Yevgenyevich Kuznetsov, and he took the Estonian form in 1938. Järvet's mother was a Russian, while hi ...

Ottniell Jürissaar Ottniell Jürissaar (27 March 1924 – 7 September 2014) was an Estonian poet, composer, and conductor. Early life and education Ottniell Jürissaar was born in Tartu. His father, Johannes Jürissaar, was an inventor and small-scale industrialis ...

* Karl Kalkun *

Eugen Kapp Eugen Kapp (29 October 1996) was an Estonian composer and music educator. Characterized by simple harmonies, march rhythms and an appealing melodic style, his music is reflective upon the musical ideas favoured by the Stalinist regime of the 19 ...

Nikolai Karotamm Nikolai Karotamm (October 23, 1901 – September 21, 1969) was an Estonian communist politician. He was a member of the Communist Party of Estonia. In 1925, he emigrated to the Netherlands, where in 1926, he joined the Communist Party of the Neth ...

Kärt Jänes-Kapp Kärt Jänes-Kapp (born Kärt Jänes; 9 January 1960 – 10 September 2015) was an Estonian research journalist and editor. Jones-Kapp graduated from Tallinn 37th Secondary School in 1978 and in 1983 with a degree in history from the Universit ...

Paul Keres Paul Keres (; 7 January 1916 – 5 June 1975) was an Estonian chess grandmaster and chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s, and narrowly missed a chance at a World Chess Championship match on five ...

Kaljo Kiisk Kaljo Kiisk (3 December 1925 – 20 September 2007) was a Soviet and Estonian actor, film director, screenwriter and politician. He was best known for his roles as from Spring (1969 film), ''Spring'' (), Summer (1976 film), ''Summer'' (''Suvi'' ...

Tõnu Kilgas Tõnu Kilgas (13 August 1954 – 25 May 2021) was an Estonian singer (baritone) and stage, film, voice, and television actor. Early life and education Tõnu Kilgas was born in Tartu, the only child of Vanemuine theatre actors Lembit Mägedi and ...

* Virve Kiple *

Albert Kivikas Albert Kivikas ( – 19 May 1978) was an Estonian writer and journalist. He is best known as the author of the book '' Names in Marble'' (), the subject of which is the Estonian War of Independence. Life Albert Kivikas was born in Suure-Jaani ...

* Paul Kogerman *

Lydia Koidula Lydia Emilie Florentine Jannsen ( – ), known by her pen name Koidula, was an Estonian literature, Estonian poet. Her sobriquet means '(Lydia of) The Dawn' in Estonian language, Estonian. It was given to her by the writer Carl Robert Jakobson. Sh ...

Konstantin Konik Konstantin Konik ( – 3 August 1936) was an Estonian politician and surgeon who served as a member of the Estonian Salvation Committee. Konstantin Konik was born to a working-class family in Tartu; his father made living as a carter. After stu ...

Johannes Kotkas Johannes Kotkas (3 February 1915 – 8 May 1998) was a heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestler from Estonia who won a gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He held the European title in 1938, 1939 and 1947 and placed second at the 1953 world champion ...

* Raimund Kull * Ilmar Kullam * Henn-Ants Kurg *

Betty Kuuskemaa Marie-Elisabeth "Betty" Kuuskemaa (born Marie-Elisabeth Jõggis, until 1935 Betty Kuuskmann; 28 January 1879 – 19 December 1966) was an Estonian stage and film actress whose long career spanned over sixty years. Early life and education Betty ...

Johannes Käbin Johannes Käbin (), also known by his Russified name Ivan Gustavovich Kebin (; 24 September 1905 – 25 October 1999), was an Estonian Soviet politician who led the Communist Party of Estonia from 1950 to 1978. Käbin was an ethnic Estonian but h ...

Heli Lääts Heli Lääts (24 June 1932 – 16 February 2018) was an Estonians, Estonian singer (mezzo-soprano) whose career began in the mid-1950s. Lääts predominantly performed Music of the Soviet Union#Soviet estrada, estrada, chamber music, chamber, P ...

Ants Lauter Ants Lauter ( – 30 October 1973) was an Estonian actor, theatre director and pedagogue, People's Artist of the USSR (1948). He was born in Veski, Rapla County, Veski, Wiek County, and died, aged 79, in Tallinn. Since 1974 the has been given ...

Artur Lemba Artur Lemba (24 September 1885 – 21 November 1963) was an Estonian composer and piano teacher, and one of the most important figures in Estonian classical music. Artur and his older brother Theodor (1876-1962) were the first professional piani ...

Astrid Lepa Astrid Lepa (7 April 1924 – 30 November 2015) was an Estonian stage, television, voice, and film actress, screenwriter, and television director whose career began in the 1940s and ended shortly before her death, spanning over sixty years. Earl ...

Kalju Lepik Kalju Lepik (7 October 1920 – 30 May 1999) was an Estonian poet who lived as an exile for most of his life. Lepik published his first poems in 1939 in Tartu students' journals Iloli and Tuleviku Rajad ('The Paths of Future'). In 1940 he founde ...

Robert Lepikson Robert Lepikson (14 June 1952 – 1 July 2006) was an Estonian politician, businessman and rally driver/co-driver. As a rally driver, he was the Estonian champion three times, winner of the Baltic Cup and was the head of the Estonian motorsport ...

* Voldemar Lender * Heino Lipp *

Endel Lippmaa Endel Lippmaa (15 September 1930 – 30 July 2015) was an Estonian scientist, academician, politician, and twice government minister in 1990–1991 and 1995–1996. Lippmaa was founder and chairman of the Science Council of the National Insti ...

Viljar Loor Viljar Loor (1 October 1953 – 22 March 2011) was among the most accomplished Estonian volleyball players. At the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Loor won the gold medal with the Soviet Union men's national volleyball team. He also won gold med ...

Sulev Luik Sulev Luik (16 April 1954 – 29 June 1997) was an Estonian actor. In 1976 he graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory. 1976-1988 he worked at Noorsooteater and since 1988 at Estonian Drama Theatre. Besides theatrical roles he played also in ov ...

Ada Lundver Ada Lundver (9 February 1942 – 6 October 2011) was an Estonian film actress and media personality. She appeared in nearly thirty films. Life Lundver was born in Käina Parish (now, Hiiumaa Parish), on the island of Hiiumaa in 1942. She used to ...

* Meta Luts *

Heino Mandri Heino Mandri (11 September 1922 – 3 December 1990) was an Estonian film and stage actor. Biography Heino Mandri was born in Kohtla-Järve, but his family moved to Tallinn when Mandri was two years old. In 1946, Mandri graduated in the only cla ...

Alo Mattiisen Alo Mattiisen (22 April 1961 – 30 May 1996) was an Estonian musician and composer. One of the most famous melodies that he composed was a patriotic song titled "No land is alone", with lyrics written by the Estonian poet Jüri Leesment. Sev ...

Roman Matsov Roman Voldemarovich Matsov (; 27 April 1917, Petrograd – 24 August 2001, Tallinn) was a Soviet and Estonian violinist, pianist, and conductor. He undertook summer courses in Berlin under Georg Kulenkampff (violin) and Walter Gieseking (piano). ...

Lennart Meri Lennart Georg Meri (; 29 March 1929 – 14 March 2006) was an Estonian writer, film director, and statesman. He was the country's foreign minister from 1990 to 1992 and President of Estonia from 1992 to 2001. Early life Meri was born in Tallin ...

Lepo Mikko Lepo Mikko (legal name Lepo Mikk; December 7, 1911 – December 6, 1978) was an Estonian painter and teacher. Early life and education Lepo Mikko was born Leonid Mikk in Aruküla, a former village in Viljandi County in the Russian Empire's Gove ...

Mati Nuude Mati Nuude (18 February 1941 – 10 March 2001) was an Estonian weightlifter and singer. Nuude was born in Tallinn to a family of an Estonian officer, Lieutenant Albert Nuude, who was arrested by the NKVD and died in a Soviet prison camp. In 194 ...

Sulev Nõmmik Sulev Nõmmik (11 January 1931, in Tallinn – 28 July 1992, in Kuressaare) was an Estonian theatre and movie director, actor, humorist and comedian. He's mostly associated with the comical character of Kärna Ärni and the related fictional villag ...

* Bruno Oja * Karl Oole *

Georg Ots Georg Ots (21 March 1920 – 5 September 1975) was an Estonian baritone. He sang at the Estonian National Opera from 1951 to his death in 1975. Ots gained wider recognition with his roles at the Bolshoi Theatre, particularly with his lead role in ...

Rein Otsason Rein Otsason (24 May 1931 – 30 October 2004) was an Estonian banker. Biography Otsason was born on 24 May 1931, in Tartu.Mäeltsemees, Sulev"Rein Otsason – scientist, politician, banker (by Sulev Mäeltsemees)" ''Estonian Discussions on Eco ...

Ülo Õun Ülo Õun (30 April 1940 – 7 March 1988) was an Estonian sculptor whose career began in the late 1960s and came to prominence in the 1970s. Õun mainly worked as a portrait and figural sculptor and was known for his works in colored plaster and ...

Kristjan Palusalu Kristjan Palusalu (until 1935 Kristjan Trossmann, – 17 July 1987) was an Estonian heavyweight wrestler and Olympic winner. Palusalu became the first and only wrestler in Olympic history ever to win both the Greco-Roman and freestyle heavy ...

Boris Parsadanian Boris Khristoforovich Parsadanian (, ; May 14, 1925 – May 14, 1997) was a Soviet Armenian and Estonian composer, violinist, and arts administrator. Biography Parsadanian was born in Kislovodsk, Russian SFSR, in 1925. He began his musical studi ...

Konstantin Päts Konstantin Päts ( – 18 January 1956) was an Estonian statesman and the country's president from 1938 to 1940. Päts was one of the most influential politicians of the independent democratic Republic of Estonia, and during the two decades p ...

Paul Pinna Paul Pinna (3 October 1884 Tallinn – 29 March 1949 Tallinn) was an Estonian actor and stage director. Career In 1899 he started performing on stage at the Estonia theatre society. In the early 1900s, he was engaged with the Estonia Theatre. ...

Dan Põldroos Dan Põldroos (6 March 1970 – 5 May 2007) was an Estonian stage, television and film actor who began performing on stage at age fifteen. Although mostly known for comedic roles, he was also an accomplished dramatic actor. Põldroos' career ende ...

* Voldemar Puhk * Helmi Puur *

Edgar Puusepp Edgar Puusepp (11 September 1911 – 19 December 1982) was an Estonian amateur wrestling, wrestler and wrestling coach. He competed in the Wrestling at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's Greco-Roman welterweight, men's Greco-Roman welterweig ...

Endel Puusepp Endel Karlovich Puusepp (; 1 May 1909 – 18 June 1996) was a Soviet bomber pilot of Estonian origin who completed over 30 nighttime strategic bombing campaigns during World War II. He was a recipient of the Hero of the Soviet Union award for fly ...

Egon Rannet Egon Rannet (until 1940 Eugen/Jevgeni Brükke; 29 November 1911 – 1 November 1983) was a Soviet and Estonian writer, playwright and screenwriter. Many of his works were affected by socialist realism. He was born in Tallinn Tallinn is the c ...

Alfons Rebane Alfons Vilhelm Robert Rebane (24 June 1908 – 8 March 1976) was an Estonian military commander. He was the most highly decorated Estonian military officer during World War II, serving in various Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS units of Nazi Germany. Af ...

Salme Reek Salme Helene Reek (10 November 1907 – 9 June 1996) was an Estonian stage, film, radio, and television actress and stage director whose career spanned nearly seventy years; sixty-six of which were spent as an actress at the Estonian Drama T ...

August Rei August Rei ( – 29 March 1963) was an Estonian politician. He served as State Elder of Estonia from 1928 to 1929, and as Prime Minister in duties of the President of the Estonian government-in-exile from 1945 to 1963. Early life and educati ...

Arnold Rüütel Arnold Rüütel (, 10 May 1928 – 31 December 2024) was an Estonian politician. He was the third President of Estonia from 8 October 2001 to 9 October 2006. Rüütel was the second president of the country after the end of the 1944–1991 Sovie ...

Johannes Semper Johannes Semper ( – 21 February 1970) was an Estonian poet, writer, translator and politician. He was born in Pahuvere (now Viljandi Parish), Kreis Fellin, in the Governorate of Livonia. A student and later a prominent scholar at the Universi ...

Juhan Smuul Juhan Smuul (18 February 1922 – 13 April 1971) was an Estonian writer. Until 1954 he used the given name Johannes Schmuul. Smuul was one of the most recognized writers in Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Estonia and was a member of th ...

Sophie Sooäär Sophie Sooäär (27 September 1914 – 14 March 1996) was an Estonian stage, television, and film actress and singer and dancer. Early life and education Sophie Sooäär (occasionally credited as Sofie Sooäär) was born in Pärnu in 1914. S ...

Ülo Sooster Ülo Ilmar Sooster (October 17, 1924 in Ühtri, Käina Parish – October 25, 1970 in Moscow) was an Estonian nonconformist painter. Ülo Sooster was born the village of Ühtri on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa. He was the son of Johanne ...

Olev Subbi Olev Subbi (7 March 1930, Tartu – 19 August 2013) was an Estonian artist. Exhibitions *1991: Priebe Art Gallery, Oshkosh, Wisconsin Oshkosh () is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on ...

Lepo Sumera Lepo Sumera (8 May 1950 – 2 June 2000) was an Estonian composer and teacher. Life and career He was born in Tallinn and studied with Veljo Tormis in his teens, and from 1968, with Heino Eller at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (then ...

* Aino Talvi *

Väino Tamm Väino Tamm (8 August 1930 – 26 June 1986) was an Estonian interior designer, vice associate professor in ERKI in from 1959 and interior design department manager in 1968–1986, from 1970 he was the associate professor of the interior design ...

A. H. Tammsaare Anton Hansen (18 (O.S.)/30 January 1878 – 1 March 1940), better known by his pseudonym A. H. Tammsaare and its variants, was an Estonian writer whose pentalogy '' Truth and Justice'' (''Tõde ja õigus''; 1926–1933) is considered one of t ...

* Ruut Tarmo *

Otto Tief Otto Tief ( – 5 March 1976) was an Estonian politician, military commander, and a lawyer. Tief was the acting prime minister of the last government of Estonia

Villu Toots Villu Toots (August 24, 1916 – April 10, 1993) was an internationally known Estonian calligrapher, book designer, educator, palaeographer and author. Biography Early life Villu Toots was born on August 24, 1916, in Reval, Russian Empi ...

Friedebert Tuglas Friedebert Tuglas, born Friedebert Mihkelson or Michelson (2 March 1886 – 15 April 1971), was an Estonian writer and critic who introduced Impressionism and Symbolism to Estonian literature. Persecuted by the authorities in the beginning of 20t ...

* Lo Tui *

Mati Unt Mati Unt (1 January 1944 in Linnamäe, Voore Parish ow Voore, Jõgeva County, Voore, Mustvee Parish Jõgeva County – 22 August 2005 in Tallinn) was an Estonian writer, essayist and theatre director. Biography His first novel, written at ...

Artur Vader Artur Vader (16 February 1920 – 25 May 1978) was the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1970 – 1978. He was born in Gorbovo, Liozna District, Vitebsk Region, Byelorussian SSR. He ...

* Katrin Välbe *

Raimond Valgre Raimond Valgre (born Raimond Tiisel; 7 October 1913 – 31 December 1949) was an Estonian composer and musician, whose songs have become some of the most well known in Estonia. During World War II, Valgre was conscripted into the Red Army and was ...

Edgar Valter Edgar Valter (21 September 1929, Tallinn – 4 March 2006, Tartu) was an Estonian graphic artist, caricaturist, writer and illustrator of children's books, with over 250 books to his name, through 55 years of activity (1950–2005). His most fam ...

* Johannes Vares-Barbarus *

Asta Vihandi Asta Vihandi (born Asta Kronberg; 21 July 1929 – 5 March 1993) was an Estonian opera and operetta soprano, stage and film actress, and dancer whose career began in 1947 at the age of eighteen. Vihandi's longest engagement was at the Estonian Na ...

Juhan Viiding Juhan Viiding (1 June 1948 – 21 February 1995), also known under the pseudonym of Jüri Üdi was an Estonian poet and actor. Personal life Juhan Viiding was born on 1 June 1948 in Tallinn to Paul Viiding, a well-known poet in Estonia who h ...

* Edgar Viies * Aarne Viisimaa * Vello Viisimaa *

Silvi Vrait Silvi Vrait (28 April 1951 – 28 June 2013) was an Estonian singer and music teacher. Biography Vrait was born in Kehra in 1951 to Einar "Edward" Wright, a Minnesota-born American of Finland, Finnish ancestry and his Estonian wife Senta (née ...

References

External links

Maetute otsing
{{Authority control Cemeteries in Tallinn 1939 establishments in Estonia Cemeteries established in the 1930s

History

Notable people interred in the cemetery

See also

References

External links