Dolní hřbitov

Dolní hřbitov (the Lower Cemetery) is a striking Baroque monument in Žďár nad Sázavou, built in 1709 to a design by architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel. Despite its name, it was never really used as an ordinary burial ground on a large scale — instead, its highly symbolic, almost mystical shape makes it one of the most fascinating pieces of Baroque religious architecture in the Vysočina region.

How to get there?

The site sits on Santiniho street in Žďár nad Sázavou, in the Vysočina region, roughly 350–500 meters northwest of the town's former Cistercian monastery and its adjoining chateau. It's an easy walk from the town center, along a trail dedicated to the architectural legacy of Jan Santini.

Why was it built?

Between 1709 and 1715, eastern Bohemia was hit by successive waves of plague. Abbot Václav Vejmluva, who governed the monastery's estate at the time, introduced preventive measures, and as a result the epidemic passed through the region relatively mildly. Building the Lower Cemetery was one of these measures — an isolated burial site for plague victims, kept apart from the town. Because other protective steps proved effective at the same time, the cemetery was barely ever used for its original purpose.

What can you see on site?

The original design consisted of three identical oval chapels topped with dome-like mansard roofs, linked by undulating, convex-concave walls. The chapels' centers mark the corners of an imagined equilateral triangle, and the number three recurs throughout — in the three chapels, the three arcaded openings, and the triple divisions of the walls, all referencing the Holy Trinity. Seen from above, the ground plan takes on the outline of a human skull.

At the center stands a stone statue of the Angel of the Last Judgment blowing a trumpet, mounted on a triangular pedestal. The work is attributed to sculptor Řehoř Theny and dated to around 1730. In 1755, on the initiative of Abbot Bernard Hennet, a fourth chapel was added on the site of the original entrance gate, breaking the strict symmetry of Santini's original concept.

The legend of the last Czech vampire

The site is tied to one of the darker corners of Czech folklore. According to local tradition, an estate manager named Alois Ulrich was believed to haunt the surroundings even after his death. Chronicles describe an 1817 exhumation that reportedly found his body showing no signs of decay. Legend holds that an executioner from Jihlava, said to be experienced in such matters, performed a ritual — reciting from an old book — before using a sharp shovel to separate the head from the body, from which fresh blood was said to flow. The remains were then reportedly treated with poppy seeds and quicklime, following folk beliefs meant to keep the dead from returning.

Practical information

The cemetery is open to the public and protected as an immovable cultural monument of the Czech Republic. In July and August it can be visited daily from 10:00 to 16:00; admission is free, though donations are welcomed to support guided tours. A visit typically takes about 30 minutes. Between 2022 and 2025, the site underwent restoration to repair water damage and wood-boring pest infestation, using traditional carpentry techniques and period-appropriate materials. In 2008, eight statues of saints originally from a nearby stone bridge were installed on the cemetery grounds.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed the Dolní hřbitov? It was designed by architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel and built in 1709 on the initiative of Abbot Václav Vejmluva.

Was the cemetery ever actually used for large-scale burials? No — although it was built as a precaution during a plague epidemic, other measures kept the outbreak mild in the area, so the cemetery was practically never used for its intended purpose.

What does the cemetery's shape symbolize? The arrangement of three chapels and triangular layout reference the Holy Trinity, while the overall ground plan resembles the outline of a human skull when viewed from above.

What legend is associated with this site? The cemetery is linked to the story of the "last Czech vampire," estate manager Alois Ulrich, whose body reportedly showed no signs of decay when exhumed in 1817.