Merkine Jewish Cemetery

Country

Lithuania

Region

Alytus County

District

Varėna

Settlement

Merkinė

Site address

Turn onto Gardino street from the Merkinė region museum/ Merkinė Church of the Cross of the Lord (No.1 S. Dariaus and S. Girėno square), From this point, continue going forward for 150m until you reach an intersection. At the intersection turn left onto Stangės street and continue forward until you reach house No.8 across the river Stangė. The cemetery is located in woodland behind No.8.

GPS coordinates

54.16028, 24.19024

Perimeter length

705 metres

Is the cemetery demolished

no

Type and height of existing fence

There are masonry pillars, which are the remains of fencing, 1.5m in height at the front and the rear of the territory.

Preservation condition

Unfenced Jewish cemetery

General site condition

The cemetery is located in woodland, it is overgrown with bushes and grass and the ground is covered with foliage, fallen branches and moss. There is a mass grave to the south-east from the cemetery, its perimeter is 419 meters. It is unclear whether it belongs to the cemetery or it is considered to be a separate cemetery/mass grave.

Number of existing gravestones

530. The gravestones are mossy, some are fallen and deeply immersed into the ground.

Date of oldest tombstone

1878

Date of newest tombstone

1932

Urgency of erecting a fence

High

Land ownership

Municipality

Preserved construction on site

There are remains of a building, presumably of ritual purpose.