Old headstones and Russian Orthodox crosses lurk in the overgrown and quintessentially creepy Russian Cemetery (located at the north end of Observatory St), where the drippy verdure seems poised to swallow up the decaying graves. Rarely will you find a more atmospheric graveyard.
© sphraner/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Sitka National Historical Park
0.76 MILES
This mystical juxtaposition of tall trees and totems is Alaska’s smallest national park and the site where the Tlingits were defeated by the Russians in…
0.26 MILES
East of downtown along Lincoln St, the Russian Bishop’s House is the oldest intact Russian building in Sitka. Built in 1843 by Finnish carpenters out of…
0.2 MILES
Built between 1844 and 1848, this church stood for more than 100 years as Alaska’s finest Russian Orthodox cathedral. When a fire destroyed it in 1966,…
0.81 MILES
This is no zoo, or bird show for gawping kids. Rather, think of it more as a raptor hospital and rehab center – and a good one at that. The 17-acre center…
0.62 MILES
East along Lincoln St on the former campus of Sheldon Jackson College is Sheldon Jackson Museum. The college may be gone, but this fine museum, housed in…
Old Sitka State Historical Park
5.55 MILES
There are no physical remains of Old Sitka (known historically as the Redoubt), the original Russian settlement in the area, although archaeological digs…
0.27 MILES
Walk west on Lincoln St for the walkway to Castle Hill. Kiksadi clan houses once covered the hilltop site, but in 1836 the Russians built ‘Baranov’s…
0.56 MILES
Sitka’s best children’s attraction is this hatchery and science center. Outside, the facade is being restored to its original appearance. Inside the…
Nearby attractions
1. Princess Maksoutoff’s Grave
0.09 MILES
At the top of Princess Way lies Princess Maksoutoff’s Grave, marking the spot where the wife of Alaska’s last Russian governor is buried. A strategically…
0.14 MILES
A replica of the small blockhouses that the Russians utilized to protect their stockade from the Indian village, this octagonal wooden fortification was…
0.17 MILES
A beautiful Tlingit clan house, more impressive outside than in, that hosts regular performances from the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi Dancers in the summer.
0.18 MILES
Across Katlian St from the Totem Square is the prominent, yellow Alaska Pioneers Home. Built in 1934 on the old Russian Parade Ground, the home is for…
0.2 MILES
Built between 1844 and 1848, this church stood for more than 100 years as Alaska’s finest Russian Orthodox cathedral. When a fire destroyed it in 1966,…
0.23 MILES
An exposed grassy plaza close to the O'Connell Bridge and ANB Harbor, anchored by the famous Baranov totem topped by a carved image of Alexander Baranov …
0.26 MILES
East of downtown along Lincoln St, the Russian Bishop’s House is the oldest intact Russian building in Sitka. Built in 1843 by Finnish carpenters out of…
0.26 MILES
Within Sitka's recently rebuilt Harigan Centennial Hall, the town history museum was undergoing a full renovation at last visit. It was due to reopen in…