English, Dutch & Armenian Cemeteries
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Upcoming at English, Dutch & Armenian Cemeteries
About English, Dutch & Armenian Cemeteries
Surat's European cemeteries, close together near the old Katargam gate, are the most striking remains of its years as a trading port. English and Dutch merchants of the 17th century, rivals in business, competed in death as well: instead of plain gravestones they built large mausoleums that borrow freely from local Hindu and Islamic architecture. The Dutch cemetery lies beside the English one, and the Armenian cemetery, in an old churchyard next door, holds flat tombstones with long inscriptions left by a community that traded here from the 16th century. All are protected monuments, though Gujarat Tourism notes that weathering has taken a toll. Photography is prohibited inside, and the sites can be hard to find without asking locally.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Surat's English and Dutch cemeteries?
Near Katargam Darwaja, north of the old city. The English, Dutch and Armenian cemeteries are next to one another.
Why are the tombs so large?
English and Dutch traders of the 17th century built grand mausoleums rather than plain gravestones, borrowing Hindu and Islamic forms, in what Gujarat Tourism describes as a rivalry that carried on after death.
Can I take photographs?
Gujarat Tourism says photography is prohibited at the sites.
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