Cemetery in Košíře

Košíře Cemetery (Kotlářka) is a quiet, unassuming burial ground in Prague's Košíře district, located on Pod Kotlářkou street right at the edge of the neighboring Motol area. It won't rival the grand tombs of Vyšehrad or Olšany cemeteries, but it offers something different: a genuine slice of local Prague history, away from the crowds that fill the city's main tourist trail.

How did this cemetery come to be?

The cemetery was established in 1876 by the municipality of Košíře to replace an older burial site next to the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at Klamovka. Before that, residents of Košíře had been buried at the so-called Malá Strana cemetery in Smíchov. Building a burial ground of its own was a natural step for Košíře, which at the time was still an independent municipality, long before it became part of a larger Prague.

What does the cemetery grounds look like?

The cemetery spreads across a slope that descends toward the north, giving its paths and rows of graves a distinctly terraced layout. A cemetery chapel stands at the northwestern edge, next to a scattering meadow set aside for the dispersal of ashes. According to records from 2001, the cemetery held more than 3,300 burial plots, including 33 family tombs, over 2,200 ground graves, and close to 760 urn graves.

Who is buried at Košíře Cemetery?

Among those resting here is Czech writer Jan Procházka, whose literary and public work left a mark on 20th-century Czechoslovak culture. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Matěj Hlaváček, a former mayor of Košíře, and František Barvitius, technical director and chief designer at the once-renowned Walter factory, known for its engines and vehicles. Also buried here is Vojtěch Kovář, executed for his part in the Rumburk mutiny of 1918, one of the episodes of resistance against Austro-Hungarian rule near the end of the First World War.

What other traces of history does the site hold?

The cemetery also contains a number of graves of soldiers and residents who died during the Prague uprising and the liberation of the city in May 1945. This makes Košíře Cemetery not just a burial site, but also a modest memorial to the dramatic final days of the Second World War in Prague.

Why is it worth a visit?

Košíře Cemetery appeals to visitors who want to see Prague away from the well-worn tourist path. Its modest architecture, steep green terrain, and historic graves capture the atmosphere of an authentic local cemetery — the kind still found across many Central European cities, though rarely visited by tourists.

Frequently asked questions

When was the cemetery founded? In 1876, replacing an earlier burial ground next to the church at Klamovka.

Where exactly is the cemetery located? On Pod Kotlářkou street in Prague's Košíře district, close to the border with Motol.

Who notable is buried here? Among others, writer Jan Procházka and Walter factory designer František Barvitius.

Are there war graves at the cemetery? Yes, it holds graves of people who died during the Prague uprising and the liberation of the city in May 1945.