Every Green Metre Counts: Can Cemeteries Become Part of Urban Green Infrastructure?

As European cities become more densely populated, pressure on existing green spaces is increasing, alongside the need to find ways to make more efficient use of the urban infrastructure already in place. Cemeteries are among the areas that are often overlooked. Although their primary function is memorial, their greenery, network of paths, location in the city, and cultural value mean that they can also be seen as a potential part of green infrastructure.

Dr Jelena Vaitkevičienė, a researcher at the Institute of Geosciences of the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences at Vilnius University (VU), and Augustas Reikertas, a Master’s student in cartography, investigated the recreational and ecological potential of the cemeteries of Vilnius.

Green spaces where they are most lacking

‘Why do we consider a park a recreational resource, while cemetery areas often remain outside the strategies to improve urban well-being and green spaces?’ was how Dr Vaitkevičienė described one of the main questions that had prompted the research.

Augustas Reikertas began researching the spatial distribution of cemeteries back in his undergraduate days. In his 2025 Bachelor’s thesis, ‘Multicriteria Assessment of Cemeteries as Urban Green Spaces: The Case of Vilnius City Municipality’, he developed a methodology for assessing cemeteries as urban green spaces. The research evaluated 48 cemeteries within Vilnius City Municipality using geographic information systems (GIS).

Reikertas emphasises that size alone does not reveal their significance: ‘Not all hectares are equal. A city may have many green areas, but they are not necessarily accessible or suitable for people to use.’

The calculations in the research show that more than 33,000 Vilnius residents could reach a cemetery in about five minutes on foot. For roughly another 3,000 people , a cemetery would be the only green space available within that five-minute walking distance. According to the researchers, the value of cemeteries in the city is therefore determined not only by the area they occupy but also by their location, accessibility, and environmental quality.

GIS analysis revealed the potential of cemeteries

‘If we assessed only the quality and development of the infrastructure in cemeteries, the large central cemeteries would come out best. If we looked solely at their natural condition, the highest scores would go to densely vegetated areas. Our aim was to find a balance between human needs and environmental value,’ explained Dr Vaitkevičienė.

The researchers therefore chose a multi-criteria analysis to evaluate the cemeteries, enabling them to examine them as part of the urban system rather than judging them by a single characteristic. They identified three main criteria – recreational potential, natural condition, and anthropogenic impact. These comprised 12 indicators: cemetery size, paths, surface, amenities, lighting, accessibility, tourism potential, condition of vegetation, location within the city’s nature frame (ecological network), potential population load, operational status, and traffic noise and pollution.

The study drew on population census data, orthophotographic data for the city of Vilnius and data from the cemetery register, as well as the Register of Cultural Property, ‘OpenStreetMap’, ‘Sentinel-2’ satellite imagery, and other sources.

‘A preliminary assessment does not require physically surveying every area straight away in person. GIS data makes it possible to see the overall situation first. For more detailed decisions, we would then need to visit the specific site and assess it on the ground,’ said Reikertas.

Time is the best landscape architect

Under the developed assessment system, cemeteries could score a maximum of 54 points. In practice, their scores ranged from 7 to 36 points. The highest-rated were the Antakalnis, Našlaičiai, and Rasos cemeteries, along with the First and Second World War military cemeteries in Vingis Park. Large cemeteries often were evaluated more highly due to their accessibility, well-developed paths and other infrastructure, cultural heritage features, and convenient locations.

However, the researchers were also interested in the opposite trend: small cemeteries that are no longer used for burials. ‘They have almost no infrastructure, but the condition of the vegetation and surface cover can be very good. You could call them small oases of nature – in a sense, the best landscape architect in these places has been time itself,’ remarked Reikertas.

The research showed a clear difference: cemeteries that are no longer used for burials tend to have a more natural character, whereas those still used for burials have better infrastructure. In some cases, only very minor changes would be enough to unlock the potential of non-operational cemeteries. The research also highlighted a general lack of infrastructure in Vilnius cemeteries. On average, amenities, lighting, and tourism potential. 

Recreation in cemeteries does not mean playing football among the gravestones

‘We understand recreation as passive use of cemeteries – having a quiet stroll, being in nature, observing wildlife, and following educational trails to learn about the site. In the academic literature, such places are often described as contemplative green spaces,’ explained Augustas Reikertas.

Dr Vaitkevičienė stresses that the line here is very clear: the primary function of a cemetery remains remembrance and respect for the dead. ‘Any recreational activity can take place only insofar as it does not disturb this function. It must be quiet, respectful, and non-intrusive. A quiet walk in a cemetery is one thing; playing football among the gravestones is something else entirely.’

In operational cemeteries, where burials still take place, the limits on other activities are naturally stricter. The researchers cite the military cemetery in Vingis Park as one example where different functions already coexist. These cemeteries are an integral part of the park, and people are drawn to them not only by the natural setting but also by a search for the city’s history, culture, and authentic stories.

‘People come not only to remember – they come to learn, to understand, to experience. This shows that respect for remembrance and the recreational function do not necessarily contradict each other. They can complement one another,’ said Dr Vaitkevičienė.

Sometimes the best intervention is any

According to the researchers, making better use of the potential of some cemeteries would not require major reconstruction. Sometimes it would be enough to repair the paths, install more benches or litter bins, or put up information signs to help visitors find their way around. Not every space needs to change, however.

‘In some cemeteries, it is precisely their tranquillity, naturalness, and the landscape that has formed over time that constitute their greatest value. In such cases, the goal should be not to transform them but to preserve their character. Sometimes the best solution is minimal intervention and preserving the qualities that have emerged naturally,’ said Dr Vaitkevičienė.

The Vilnius model could be applied elsewhere

According to Reikertas, the methodology could also be applied in other European cities, although some indicators would need to be adjusted to local conditions and the quality of available data. For example, in southern European cities, the condition of vegetation may have to be assessed differently than in Vilnius. Such a model could be used first and foremost by municipalities and urban planners – not as a final verdict but as a decision-support tool, helping them to see where infrastructure is most lacking, where untapped potential lies and where small investments could bring the greatest benefit.

According to Dr Vaitkevičienė, however, a broader change would begin with the very attitude towards cemeteries: ‘We would like both city residents and decision-makers to recognise the dual value of cemeteries. They are not merely frozen urban areas – they are meaningful green spaces that already contribute to the city’s ecology and people’s well-being.’

In the researchers’ view, cemeteries could be valued in the future both as places of remembrance and as important elements of the ecological and social infrastructure of cities.