Hřbitov Nové Mitrovice

Hřbitov Nové Mitrovice is a small village cemetery in Nové Mitrovice, a modest settlement in the Pilsen region of the Czech Republic, located along road II/177 near the entrance from Spálené Poříčí. The cemetery surrounds the Baroque Church of St. John of Nepomuk and forms part of the village's historic core, first documented in written records in 1626.

Where does the village name come from, and how is it linked to the cemetery?

The name Nové Mitrovice derives from Jan Vratislav of Mitrovice, regarded as the settlement's founder. His family coat of arms still appears on the entrance portal of the church around which the cemetery is arranged, making the church the clearest historical anchor for the whole burial ground.

What does the church next to the cemetery look like?

The Church of St. John of Nepomuk is a substantial Baroque building, reportedly constructed between 1722 and 1726, likely on the site of an earlier chapel. Its octagonal presbytery, topped with a domed skylight, was later extended with a rectangular nave and a square-plan tower. One hypothesis attributes the design to Giovanni Santini Aichl, a noted Baroque-era architect, though some researchers point instead to a possible rebuilding in 1777. Countess Anna is credited as the founder who initiated the laying of the foundation stone for the future octagonal chapel.

What stands on the cemetery grounds besides the church?

Along the road leading to the church, on ground tied to the cemetery, stands a memorial to the victims of both World Wars. Its first part, funded by the local Sokol organization in 1918, commemorates 18 residents of Nové Mitrovice itself along with several soldiers from the neighboring villages of Planina and Mitrovice who died between 1914 and 1918. The second part, added in 1948 through the Union of Czechoslovak Youth, honors victims of the Second World War, including members of the Pugner and Rybák families. Some of those named died during the bombing of Pilsen on 20 December 1944, while others perished in German forced-labor camps or as a result of wartime reprisals.

Are there any traces of former industry near the cemetery?

Yes. Right beside the cemetery wall, an old ironworks operated in Nové Mitrovice until 1838. After it was shut down, a distinctive heap of slag — waste left over from iron-ore smelting — remained on the site. It is still visible near the cemetery today and stands as a physical remnant of the village's earlier metalworking activity.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cemetery in Nové Mitrovice open to visitors? The cemetery and its adjoining church sit right on the public road II/177 in the center of the village, visible from the entrance coming from Spálené Poříčí.

Who designed the church standing next to the cemetery? Authorship is not firmly established — one theory credits Giovanni Santini Aichl, while another points to a rebuilding carried out in 1777.

What historical events does the memorial by the cemetery commemorate? The memorial has two parts: one honoring soldiers who died in the First World War (1914–1918), and another dedicated to victims of the Second World War (1939–1945), including residents killed during the bombing of Pilsen.

Where does the name Nové Mitrovice come from? From Jan Vratislav of Mitrovice, whose coat of arms still appears on the portal of the church standing beside the cemetery.