Cemetery in Uhříněves

Uhříněves Cemetery is a small, still-active burial ground in Prague's Uhříněves district (Prague 22), located on Přátelství street — once the main road toward Říčany. It's a quiet, unhurried place, off the typical sightseeing trail, but a rewarding stop for anyone curious about the everyday history of one of Prague's outlying districts, told through the lives of the people buried here from the early 20th century onward.

Where did this cemetery come from?

Uhříněves' original cemetery stood around the Church of All Saints and served residents for decades until 1822, when it ran out of space for new burials. A replacement burial ground was then established on the edge of the town, near the spot where a sugar factory was later built in 1868. Once that site, too, began filling up, local authorities started weighing the construction of a larger cemetery in 1907. Because of administrative requirements still in force under the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, the approval process dragged on until 1911. The land needed for the project — almost a full hectare — was donated to the municipality by mayor Antonín Semanský (1852–1940), which finally allowed the plan to move forward.

When did the current cemetery open?

The new cemetery was consecrated on 28 September 1911, with the old site by the church closing the day before, on 30 September. The first burials at the new location took place from 1 October 1911 onward — and this is the same ground that still functions today as Uhříněves Cemetery.

How big is it, and how many people are buried here?

The cemetery covers 9,571.6 m², just under a hectare. It holds 779 built and dug graves plus 357 urn graves, along with the Filip family burial chapel and a columbarium arranged in 10 sections, each with 12 niches holding up to three urns. There is also a single scattering meadow for ashes. According to records from 30 June 2023, 4,046 burials are registered here, and over the cemetery's 114-year history an estimated 4,500 people have been laid to rest — an average of 37 a year. Notably, for every coffin burial today there are roughly nine urn burials, a ratio that reflects the broader shift in Czech burial customs over recent decades.

Who looks after the cemetery?

From its opening in 1911, the grounds were cared for by an on-site gravedigger — a role held over the years by, among others, Mr. Pecháček and Mrs. Červenková. After 1990 the gravedigger's cottage was sold off and upkeep passed to an outside company. Since 1 June 2012, the cemetery has been managed by staff of the Prague 22 district office.

Who is buried here?

Among those resting here are figures tied to the district's local history and culture: academic painter Jindřich Bubeníček (1856–1935) and the young painter Pavel Genza (1958–1981), as well as two veterans of the Battle of Zborov, Michal Klich (1894–1971) and Lieutenant Colonel Václav Novák (1892–1985). Also buried here are folk musician František Pařízek (1910–1990), teacher and town chronicler Ludmila Šimrová (1905–1993), ice hockey player and coach Karel Gut (1927–2014), and teacher and museum co-restorer Libuše Votavová (1930–2022).

Frequently asked questions

Where is Uhříněves Cemetery located? In Prague's Uhříněves district (Prague 22), on Přátelství street, once the main road toward Říčany.

How long has the cemetery been in use? Since 1 October 1911 — the previous cemetery by the Church of All Saints closed the day before due to lack of space.

How large is the cemetery? It covers just under a hectare (9,571.6 m²) and holds close to 800 built graves plus more than 350 urn graves.

Are any notable people buried here? Yes, including painters, two veterans of the Battle of Zborov, a folk musician, and well-known Czech hockey player Karel Gut.