Cemeteries and grave search in Helsinki
Cemeteries in Helsinki (approx. 674,000 residents): cemetery information, how to find a grave with an online grave search or grave map, memorial groves and whom to contact about burial plots.
Muistovalkea · Updated 2026-03-01
Cemeteries Helsinki
How to find a grave in Helsinki
In Finland most cemeteries are maintained by Evangelical Lutheran parishes. In larger towns the cemeteries are usually run by a parish union (seurakuntayhtymä) that the local parishes belong to. The cemetery keeps records of graves and the people buried in them, so it can also tell you where a specific grave is.
Many parish unions offer an online grave search or grave map (hautahaku / hautakartta), such as Hautahaku.fi or Hautakartta.fi. You search by the name of the deceased, and the service shows the grave's location on a cemetery map. Searches can often be narrowed by year of birth or death, or by cemetery.
Not every grave appears in these services. Graves whose tenure has expired, very recent burials and some older graves may be missing. The exact location of ashes buried in a memorial grove is usually not disclosed.
If you cannot find the grave online, contact the burial office of the parish or parish union that maintains the cemetery (it may be called hautatoimisto, hautauspalvelut or hautaustoimi). Staff can tell you the grave's location from the burial records.
Check the parish website to see whether an online grave search is available for cemeteries in Helsinki, or ask the burial office for the grave's location.
Steps
Choosing a cemetery
Parish and other cemeteries in Helsinki and their characteristics.
Reserving a burial plot
Applying for a burial plot, maintenance period and practices in Helsinki.
Burial type and plot
Coffin burial, urn burial and memorial grove: options and requirements.
Fees and practices
Burial plot fees, maintenance agreements and cemetery rules. Prices vary between parishes.
Useful links
Frequently asked questions
Where are the cemeteries in Helsinki?
Cemeteries in Helsinki are mainly maintained by the parishes or a parish union. Up-to-date addresses, maps and contact details can be found on the parish website.
Can you choose a burial plot freely in Helsinki?
Local residents can usually choose a plot in any of the local parish cemeteries, whether or not the deceased was a church member. The price may be higher for non-residents, and some cemeteries have only a limited number of free plots.
How much does a burial plot cost in Helsinki?
A burial plot costs €100–2,000 depending on location and burial type. Urn plots are typically more affordable.
How do I find a specific grave in Helsinki?
Many parish unions have an online grave search or grave map where you search by the name of the deceased and see the location on a cemetery map. If the grave does not appear, for example because the tenure has expired or the burial is very recent, ask the burial office of the parish that maintains the cemetery. If we have been able to verify the local search service, the link is in the grave search section of this page.
Where is the memorial grove in Helsinki?
A memorial grove is a shared area in a cemetery where ashes are buried without an individual grave marker; in some groves the name of the deceased can be added to a shared memorial. Many cemeteries have a memorial grove, but not all. The parish cemetery pages show which cemeteries have one. On this page it is mentioned next to the cemetery if we have verified it. The exact location of the ashes is usually not disclosed, but groves often have a shared place for candles and flowers.
Who maintains the cemeteries in Helsinki and whom should I contact?
Cemeteries are mainly maintained by the local Evangelical Lutheran parishes or the parish union they form. The parish burial office (also called hautauspalvelut or hautaustoimi) handles burial plots, grave locations, tenure periods and grave care. You can arrange the funeral with the burial office yourself or authorise a private funeral home to handle it.
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