The cemetery was established in 1773 and was the main cemetery for almost all Baltic Germans who died in the city between 1773 and 1944. The cemetery was divided into three section: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian. It consists of 22 hectares (54 acres) and is owned by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. The cemetery was closed for further burials in 1957.

Most of the stones were removed during Soviet occupation to create a park but some monuments, as does some mausoleums remain and the cemetery looks more like a city park. It was divided into sections according to religious denomination. Jekaba kapi and Pokrova kapi were originally connected to Lielie kapi but in the late 1960's, Sencu iela (street) was built and divided it from them.