An All Souls' Day trip to Prague's magnificent cemeteries

Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International

The date of All Souls' Day came to be fixed on November 2nd during the Middle Ages, specifically in the tenth century. It is the third in a trio of days that commemorate the dead. All Souls’ Day is about the dead in general, in contrast with the more limited circle of deceased saints who are acknowledged to be in heaven already. Hence, All Souls' Day is preceded by All Hallows' Day on the 1st of November (hallow being an older English word for a saint or holy person), which it itself preceded on the 31st of October by the increasingly more famous All Hallows' Eve, or Halloween.

Photo: Petr Lukeš, Radio Prague International

Even though Czechs are not as religious as they were in previous centuries, All Souls' Day remains widely observed in Czechia, as a chance to visit cemeteries and pay respects to lost loved ones. Prague boasts many interesting cemeteries, which vary in age, design and community. The architect Filip Ditrich spoke to us about some of these cemeteries, which are usually open to explore, beginning with which might be the city’s oldest and still functional cemetery:

Filip Ditrich|Photo: Barbora Navrátilová, Radio Prague International

“Concerning the oldest cemeteries in Prague, ‘functional’ is a word that is so debatable, because there are a lot of cemeteries here that no longer fulfil their original function, but we still have them, because fortunately they were not destroyed, for example Malá Strana Cemetery. In brief, towards the end of the eighteenth century, the reforms of Joseph II moved the cemeteries beyond the city walls. Large cemeteries such as Olšany, and its new Jewish cemetery, were then founded.”

Mr. Ditrich noted the importance of the Vyšehrad Cemetery, not only for the many famous figures of Czech and Czechoslovak culture buried there, but also for its artistic and architectural treasures. These include the Slavín, a grand tomb that includes the graves of fifty-five notable architects, musicians, poets, writers, painters and scholars. From more recent history, the Vyšehrad Cemetery also includes the grave of Jan Kaplický, designed by the architect himself.

Ďáblice cemetery|Photo: Petr Lukeš, Radio Prague International

“The cemetery in Ďáblice is exceptional from several points of view. First of all, I would like to mention the situation at the beginning of the last century, when Prague decided to build several cemeteries outside the centre. It was a very ambitious project, of which unfortunately only the cemetery in Ďáblice was realised, and was even smaller than its intended size. It was designed by Vlastislav Hofman between 1912 and 1914, in the Cubist style. Unfortunately, out of what was built, today we only have the fencing and the original main gate, built with two pavilions. The design also included a ceremonial hall and several other buildings.”

The German Evangelical cemetery in Strašnice|Photo: Barbora Linková, Czech Radio

Lastly, when asked which of the city’s cemeteries appeals to him the most, Mr. Ditrich’s choice was the German Evangelical cemetery in Strašnice, which he says few people know about. After the Second World War and the expulsion of Bohemian Germans, its use as a cemetery was officially cancelled, and its physical destruction was considered. However, after the revolution, the cemetery received official protection, came into the care of the Cemeteries and Funeral Services of Prague, and was sensitively renovated in 2015. It remains full of old tombstones, and retains an evangelical chapel that still holds services. The cemetery offers visitors a peaceful space, but also a haunting reminder of Czechia’s complex and often tragic history.