Riga City Funeral Service
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After a cremation a family faces a decision it rarely thinks about in advance: what to do with the ashes. Until recently the answer was in practice a single one — bury the urn in a cemetery plot. Since 29 April 2026, when the new Cemeteries Law came into force, there are more options: the law deals separately with columbaria and with zones set aside for the scattering of ashes.
Riga City Funeral Service helps choose between the options and deal with the approvals. If the decision has not been made, there is no need to hurry — call and we will talk it through: +371 2208 4540
The law and municipal regulations provide for three basic options. They are not mutually exclusive: some families choose one, others combine them — burying the urn in the family plot, for instance, while holding a moment of remembrance somewhere that mattered to the person who died.
| Option | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Burial of the urn in a plot | The most traditional path: the urn is placed in the plot at a depth of not less than 1 m. A definite place remains for the family to visit. See the page on urn burial |
| Columbarium | A niche in which the urn is placed above ground. In Riga a columbarium has operated at the Second Forest Cemetery since 2017, with 288 niches; a new columbarium at the First Forest Cemetery was supported by a Riga City Council decision of 6 February 2026 |
| Scattering of ashes | The option introduced by the new Cemeteries Law: the law provides for zones set aside for scattering. The particular places are determined by the municipality in its own regulations |
One deadline matters across Latvia: municipalities adopt their own cemetery regulations by 30 June 2027, and the old regulations do not remain in force beyond that date. The answer to "where exactly may ashes be scattered" is therefore still taking shape in different regions, and it is always confirmed with the particular municipality.
The reason is simple and visible in the figures: the share of cremations is rising, and the forecast is that by 2035 it will reach up to 65 %. The more cremations there are, the more often families must answer the question of the ashes — and the more it matters that the law now offers options beyond burial in a plot.
The second reason is practical. Of Riga's 22 municipal cemeteries five are closed, and there only the burial of an urn in an existing plot is possible at all; a further 15 are partially closed. An urn is therefore often the only way for someone to rest beside their own family. Which cemetery holds which status is in the list of cemeteries.
The urn is not a formality: it stays with the family for years, or goes into a niche where visitors see it. Three things guide the choice — the material, the size, and whether the urn is intended for burial in the ground or for a niche. If burial is planned the material is chosen accordingly; if a columbarium, the niche's dimensions matter more.
And one practical point families forget: if the ashes are to be taken to another country, documents are needed, and they are arranged at the cremation stage. Ask about the cremation certificate and the other documents straight away, not a month later.
If the family wishes to hand over everything — from the cremation to the placing of the urn — that is part of the funeral arrangement.
