Cemetery in Karlík

Cemetery in Karlík is a small village burial ground located in the municipality of Karlík, in the Prague-West district of the Central Bohemian Region, set among the hills overlooking the Vltava valley. Although it looks like an ordinary local cemetery at first glance, its story reaches back much further than most visitors would expect.

How old is this site?

The area where the cemetery now stands was already inhabited during the Stone Age. Archaeological finds in the surrounding land have uncovered fragments of perforated stone axes, bone needles, and pottery shards dating back roughly 2,000 years before Christ. This shows that the land around present-day Karlík attracted human settlement long before any village in the modern sense existed here.

What can visitors see in the old section?

The oldest surviving graves are concentrated along the southern wall of the cemetery's old section. The most notable among them is a memorial plaque made of Slivenec marble, dedicated to Augustin Svoboda, administrator of the Křížovník estate in Dobřichovice. The plaque is dated 1792, making it the oldest identified monument on the grounds and a tangible link to centuries of continuous burials at this location.

Has the cemetery changed over time?

Yes — in 1934 the entire grounds underwent a thorough renovation, and a new section was added at the same time. This expansion meant that a cemetery which had previously served mainly the immediate neighborhood gained the capacity to accommodate burials from farther afield as well.

Who is buried at the Karlík cemetery?

The cemetery has long served not just Karlík itself but also the neighboring villages of Dobřichovice, Letů, and Vonoklasy. Generations of families from these communities have laid their relatives to rest here, making the cemetery a shared point of reference for the wider area rather than for a single village alone.

Where exactly is the cemetery located?

The cemetery lies in the municipality of Karlík, in the Prague-West district of the Central Bohemian Region, close to the village of Vrané nad Vltavou and to Dobřichovice, along the Vltava river. The surrounding landscape is known for its scenic hills and forests, popular with visitors hiking or cycling through the Vltava valley region southwest of Prague.

Why is it worth a visit?

The cemetery in Karlík appeals to anyone interested in local history and genealogy — walking among the old gravestones reveals traces of families who have lived in the region for generations. It also makes for a quiet stop on a day out around Vrané nad Vltavou, for travelers looking for something beyond the region's headline attractions.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the cemetery in Karlík? The exact founding date is not documented, but the oldest identified gravestone dates to 1792, and the surrounding land was already settled in the Stone Age.

Who is buried in the oldest surviving grave? The oldest surviving gravestone, made of Slivenec marble, commemorates Augustin Svoboda, administrator of the Křížovník estate in Dobřichovice.

Was the cemetery ever expanded? Yes, in 1934 it was thoroughly renovated and extended with a new section.

Which villages use this cemetery? Besides Karlík, it also serves the residents of Dobřichovice, Letů, and Vonoklasy.

Where exactly is the cemetery located? In the municipality of Karlík, Prague-West district, Central Bohemian Region, near Vrané nad Vltavou on the Vltava river.