Central Cemetery in Frýdek-Místek

The Central Cemetery in Frýdek-Místek is the city's largest burial ground, situated right on the boundary between Frýdek-Místek and the neighboring municipality of Dobrá. It was established in 1894 and has served ever since as the main resting place for residents of what were once two separate towns, Frýdek and Místek, which merged administratively into a single city in 1943. The cemetery covers an area of more than 25,000 square meters, making it one of the larger burial grounds in the Moravian-Silesian region.

Why was the cemetery built here?

Before the central cemetery opened, residents of Místek buried their dead at two smaller municipal cemeteries — one in the Koloredov district, closed in 1968, and another on Frýdlantská Street, closed in 1972. As the population grew and the older cemeteries reached their capacity, city authorities decided in the late 19th century to establish a new, larger burial ground on the outskirts of town, where there was enough space for future expansion.

What can visitors see at the cemetery?

The centerpiece of the cemetery is a chapel dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, which serves as the venue for funeral ceremonies. The grounds also feature a Baroque depiction of Christ falling beneath the cross — a sculpture that, given its age and artistic style, ranks among the more valuable pieces of sacred art found within the cemetery.

Visitors will also come across substantial family tombs that reflect the history of local bourgeois families. Among them, the graves of the Furch and Zaar families stand out as examples of traditional funerary stonework from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

What traces of wartime history can be found at the cemetery?

A monument dedicated to Red Army soldiers stands on the cemetery grounds, commemorating the fighting and casualties tied to the liberation of the region during the Second World War. Such monuments are common at cemeteries across the former Czechoslovakia, where Soviet soldiers who fell in the battles for Silesia and Moravia after 1945 were often buried close to the front lines.

How to get to the central cemetery?

The cemetery lies on the outskirts of Frýdek-Místek, right at the border with the municipality of Dobrá, making it easily accessible for residents of both parts of the city. Because of its location at the meeting point of two municipalities, it also serves as a natural landmark for people traveling between the center of Frýdek-Místek and the neighboring village of Dobrá.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Central Cemetery in Frýdek-Místek established? The cemetery was founded in 1894 in response to the growing city's need for more burial space.

Which earlier cemeteries did it replace? It replaced two smaller municipal cemeteries — one in the Koloredov district, closed in 1968, and one on Frýdlantská Street, closed in 1972 — both of which had reached their capacity.

How large is the cemetery? The cemetery covers more than 25,000 square meters.

What sacred structures can be found on the grounds? The most notable is the chapel of St. Michael the Archangel, along with a Baroque sculpture depicting Christ falling beneath the cross.

Are there any war graves at the cemetery? Yes, the cemetery includes a monument to Red Army soldiers, commemorating casualties from the fighting during the Second World War.