Cemetery near the Church of Saint John the Baptist

The Cemetery near the Church of Saint John the Baptist sits on St. John's Hill in the Třebeš district of Hradec Králové, right beside the wooden church that gives it its name. It is one of the oldest burial grounds in the city and a place where local history intersects with one of the largest battles fought in 19th-century Central Europe.

Where exactly is the cemetery located?

The cemetery occupies a small hill in the eastern part of Hradec Králové, within the historic district of Třebeš. The hill on which the church and its adjoining cemetery stand is known as Kopec svatého Jana (St. John's Hill), named after the church's patron saint. The site is easy to spot thanks to the distinctive wooden structure of the church, which stands out clearly against the brick and stone architecture typical of the city center.

What is the history behind this place?

The earliest known reference to the cemetery beside the Church of Saint John the Baptist dates back to 1579, making it one of the longest-documented burial sites in the Hradec Králové area. For centuries it served as a parish cemetery for the residents of Třebeš and the surrounding settlements.

The site's local nickname, "Zámeček" (meaning "little chateau"), has nothing to do with an actual castle. It refers instead to a small, single-story building that once stood right next to the church. That structure remained part of the hilltop landscape until it was demolished on July 2, 1978. Despite its disappearance, the nickname "Zámeček" survived in everyday speech and is still the name locals in Hradec Králové use for this cemetery today.

Who is buried here?

Because of its long history and significance, the cemetery is sometimes referred to as the "Slavín of Hradec Králové," a reference to Prague's famous Slavín burial site for distinguished national figures. The hill holds the graves of notable residents of the city who played a meaningful role in its history and civic life.

The cemetery is also tied to one of the most dramatic events in the region's history: the Battle of Königgrätz (also known as the Battle of Sadová or the Battle of Chlum), fought on July 3, 1866, during the Austro-Prussian War. It was one of the largest battles of the 19th century in Europe, and among the graves on the hill are the burial sites of soldiers who fell in that battle, giving the cemetery a historical weight that extends well beyond the local scale.

What is worth seeing here?

Beyond the cemetery itself, the wooden Church of Saint John the Baptist is a striking sight — its timber construction is unusual for Hradec Králové, a city otherwise dominated by brick and stone buildings. The combination of the wooden church, older gravestones, and the quiet, elevated setting gives the site a distinctly different atmosphere from the rest of the city: calmer, more rural, and contemplative.

Visitors exploring the older sections of the cemetery can still find gravestones connected to the 19th-century history of the region, including those linked to the events of the 1866 war.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cemetery connected to the 1866 Battle of Hradec Králové? Yes, the cemetery contains the graves of soldiers who died in that battle, one of the largest fought in 19th-century Europe.

Where does the name "Zámeček" come from? From a small, single-story building that once stood next to the church and was demolished on July 2, 1978.

How old is the cemetery? The earliest documented mention of it dates back to 1579.

Where is the cemetery located in Hradec Králové? On St. John's Hill, in the Třebeš district, next to the wooden Church of Saint John the Baptist.