Cemeteries in Prague
These walks are into some of the many cemeteries in Prague and around.
This is a common burial place for unknown.
Or your ashes can be spread out. Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust.
Older area
Grave sites along the main path.
Old Jewish cemetery where are about 12,000 old gravestones and is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Prague.
This is from wikipedia:
During the more than three centuries in which it was in active use, the cemetery continually struggled with the lack of space.
Piety and respect for the deceased ancestors does not allow the Jews to abolish old graves.
Only occasionally the Jewish community was allowed to purchase grounds to expand the cemetery and so many times it had to gain space in other ways;
if necessary, a new layer of soil was heaped up on the available area
. For this reason, there are places where as many as twelve layers now exist. Thanks to this solution the older graves themselves remained intact.
However, as new levels were added it was necessary either to lay over the gravestones associated with the older (and lower) graves to protect them,
or else to elevate the stones to the new, higher surface
This explains the dense forest of gravestones that one sees today; many of them commemorate an individual who is buried several layers further down.
This also explains why the surface of the cemetery is raised several meters higher than the surrounding streets;
retaining walls are necessary to hold the soil and the graves in place.
Another cemetery where are headstones for militaries from WWII. Here is one for New Zealand and others.
Russian army that liberated Prague in 1945.
There used to be big memorial celebrations every May to remember the end of the war. Not anymore.
Not too far from there is a civilian section for Ukraine.
The crosses are somewhat different than in other cemeteries.
Here is another old Jewish cemetery that is not in use.
There may even be buried the legendary Golem.
There is lot of writing on these stones that I cannot read.
Stations of the cross that climb up to the cemetery outside Prague.
Stations of the cross show the last way of Jesus Christ to his crucifiction.
This is a nice cemetery located in forest.
Entrance into functioning New Jewish Cemetery. Franz Kafka (famous writer) is in about the middle. So this is fairly large cemetery.
All the headstones are nicely done.
Some of the more elaborate plots.
The unique part is at the end where are plots for cremated remains since Jewish tradition forbits cremations.
Many plots have stones but not flowers on them. That is another tradition that separates living from death.
Here lies writer Franz Kafka. I tried to read his stories but never finish any. Sorry Franz.
There are usually no flowers or candles on.
In many villages there are stones that commemorate many of their citizens that died in WWI.
Matter of fact my grandfather died in WWI when my father was only two years old!
Entrance to the one of the scariest cemeteries is here.
Here are buried mental patients from nearby hospital for the insane.
It is full of unmarked graves.
This is one headstone of just two I found here. It is a center of paranormal events.
Not only people die. It is sad that also our dogs do not live forever.
The plots looks attended even after 10+ years.
RIP all.
We all will end up somewhere sooner or later. So just pick your place.