From church cemeteries to urban infrastructure

Over the centuries, cemeteries have evolved alongside cities and changing notions of death. While burials once took place primarily around and near churches, burial grounds gradually shifted beyond the boundaries of dense urban development. The reasons were both practical and hygienic: growing cities needed more space, and burial practices had to adapt to the new conditions. A major turning point came in the 18th century under Emperor Joseph II, who banned the establishment of cemeteries within built-up areas. Until then, burials had been the responsibility of the church, but afterward, municipal cemeteries began to emerge outside the city walls, such as the Malá Strana and Karlín cemeteries. The greatest number of cemeteries were established in the 19th century. Another turning point came with the legalization of cremation following the founding of Czechoslovakia: as early as 1921, Prague’s first crematorium began operating in Olšany; in 1932, it was replaced by the Strašnice crematorium due to capacity issues, and in 1954, the Motol crematorium was added. Today, cemeteries are part of the city’s infrastructure just like parks, schools, or sports facilities. Their location, capacity, and layout influence not only the bereaved but also how public space is used in the city.

A map of final resting places

Today, Prague has 72 actively used cemeteries covering an area of 147 hectares, nearly half of which is occupied by the Olšany complex on the border of Žižkov, Vinohrady, and Strašnice. Around 12,300 Prague residents die each year, with cremations accounting for more than 90% of burials. There are fewer than 1,000 traditional coffin burials per year. This fundamentally changes the demands placed on cemeteries, yet most of them have not undergone reorganization in decades and consist mainly of graves and tombs for coffins. There are fewer urn plots, columbariums, and burial meadows, even though demand for them is high. “It is already clear that there is a large surplus of coffin burial plots, while urn plots are in short supply due to the popularity of cremation in Prague,” says Jakub Hrubý of IPR Prague, the author of the analysis.

A cemetery may have available plots, yet it may not be easily accessible to everyone. According to the IPR Prague analysis, approximately 30% of Prague residents live more than 1.8 kilometers from the nearest cemetery—that is, beyond the distance the study considers to be good accessibility. This issue affects, for example, Běchovice, Kamýk, Klánovice, Letňany, and Štěrboholy. Seventeen city districts do not have a cemetery, with Prague 1 and Prague 18 among the largest. Prague 2 is also included in this group: its only cemetery, at Vyšehrad, is reserved for figures of national importance and has no remaining capacity.

Cemeteries as parks, forests, and ecosystems

Today, cemeteries serve functions we would not have expected of them in the past. Vast cemeteries feature tree-lined avenues, mature trees, and a tranquility that is increasingly hard to find in a bustling city. They are often crisscrossed by running and walking trails. A sociological survey by STEM/MARK shows that 62% of Prague residents visit cemeteries. Most visitors—just under 84%—come for traditional reasons of remembrance (tending to a grave, commemorating loved ones, All Souls’ Day), but one in five admitted that they also go there for recreation; a quarter visit for the art and history. For many, the graves of Karel Kryl or Karel Gott are the destination of their visit. At the same time, cemeteries are important green spaces. “Cemeteries have a positive effect on the microclimate, allow rainwater to seep into the ground, serve as stepping stones for migrating animals, and create oases of peace and quiet in an otherwise noisy urban environment,” says Jakub Hrubý. Public opinion on recreation in cemeteries is divided: roughly half of visitors consider the cemetery to be exclusively a place of reverence where sports or relaxation are inappropriate, but one-third of people have a more liberal view, and approximately half of those surveyed say that they are not bothered by people engaging in recreational activities in cemeteries.

The Forest of Memories and meadow burials: A final resting place doesn’t need a headstone

Not only are the reasons we visit cemeteries changing, but so are our ideas about our own funerals. Alongside traditional graves and columbariums, more natural forms of farewell are emerging. In Prague, one example is the Forest of Memories at the Ďáblice Cemetery, where ashes are placed near trees and the tree itself becomes a place of remembrance. The Meadow Cemetery, on the other hand, offers burials in a setting reminiscent of a natural meadow: starting in 2023, it will be a flower-filled meadow maintained by a gardener, where the deceased are laid to rest beneath the turf in a simple wooden coffin, and the grave has no headstone, only a wooden plaque. These options are also changing the nature of memorials. Instead of a headstone, the memory can be carried by a tree, the landscape, or a shared space that is not confined to individual grave plots.

The future and capacity

Today, the situation is stable. “Currently, Prague’s cemeteries are in balance between the supply and demand for burial plots,” says Jakub Hrubý. Natural regeneration contributes to this: “Cemeteries do not merely accumulate remains; they also see them gradually disappear. Cemeteries thus possess a certain regenerative capacity that allows for the reuse of already filled plots,” he adds. However, the number of deaths will begin to rise as the population grows and large birth cohorts age: from roughly 12,300 to 14,500 deaths per year starting in 2035. Between 2023 and 2050, approximately 406,000 Prague residents will die.

Up to 97,000 of them may be buried outside the city district of their permanent residence, with Prague 11, 13, 15, 2, and 17 being the most affected. The solution is to expand existing cemeteries or establish smaller ones, designed from the outset with a predominance of urn graves and columbariums. New cemeteries are being planned in Běchovice and Satalice, and the one in Dolní Chabry is also set to be expanded.

The end of tradition, or its reinvention?

The most significant change, however, does not concern capacity but the farewell itself. Only 41% of Prague residents want a farewell ceremony, while 38% have no interest in one. According to an older study by sociologist Olga Nešporová, roughly half of Prague’s funerals in 2010 and 2011 took place without a ceremony. And 28% of people would prefer to place the urn outside a cemetery or scatter the ashes. The tradition has not disappeared, however: for 66% of those who organized a funeral in the last five years, it was important to lay a loved one to rest in a family grave.

Thus, the final resting place is no longer just one single location. It can be a family grave, an urn in a columbarium, a tree in Ďáblice, or a meadow where a wooden plaque stands in place of a headstone. At the same time, a cemetery has always reflected the city that built it: how it cares for its dead and how much importance it places on peace and dignity. Its character is shaped by everything taken together—from its location within the city, to the paths and grave sites, to its daily maintenance. It is precisely this combination that creates a place that can serve both as a representative space for the city and as a dignified setting for remembrance.