Chapel of Saint Odile

Chapel of Saint Odile stands inside the municipal cemetery in České Budějovice, in South Bohemia, just behind the main cemetery gate — the small building that gave the whole graveyard its popular name.

How did the chapel come about?

The cemetery itself was laid out between 1887 and 1889 by builders J. Stabernak and J. Hauptvogel and consecrated on 23 April 1889. Right by the main entrance, two historicizing buildings went up at the same time: a mortuary and a ceremonial hall. Two years later, in 1891, that ceremonial hall was rebuilt in Neo-Romanesque style and rededicated as the Chapel of Saint Odile. Locals soon began calling the entire cemetery "u Otýlie" (at Odile's), a name that stuck even though it was never the site's official title.

What does the chapel look like today?

The chapel and the neighbouring crematorium building stand in a symmetrical arrangement just behind the cemetery gate, a layout typical of 19th-century burial grounds built under Austria-Hungary. Today the chapel functions as the ceremonial hall of the České Budějovice crematorium, hosting funeral services and farewell ceremonies before cremation. The city is preparing a reconstruction of both the ceremonial hall and adjoining crematorium rooms and the farewell chapel itself, aiming to create a dignified, modern space that meets current technical and aesthetic standards; construction work is scheduled to start in 2026.

How do you get there?

The chapel sits on the grounds of the municipal cemetery in České Budějovice, a South Bohemian city well connected by train and long-distance bus to Prague and other towns in the region. Visitors touring the cemetery should set aside time to walk through its older section too, where gravestones from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries still stand.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors go inside the chapel? Since the chapel operates as the crematorium's ceremonial hall, access to the interior is generally limited to funeral service times. The cemetery grounds themselves are open to the public during regular visiting hours.

How old is the chapel? The cemetery dates from 1887–1889, and the current chapel building was converted from an earlier ceremonial hall in 1891 — making it well over 130 years old.

Why is the cemetery known as "u Otýlie"? The nickname comes directly from the chapel dedicated to Saint Odile that stands by the main gate; over time, the chapel's name was applied informally to the whole cemetery.

Is a renovation planned? Yes. The city of České Budějovice is preparing to renovate the ceremonial hall, the adjoining crematorium rooms, and the farewell chapel, with construction due to begin in 2026.