Jewish cemetery in Babčice

The Jewish cemetery in Babčice is one of the best-preserved rural Jewish burial grounds in South Bohemia, tucked in a small woodland about a kilometer from the village of Babčice in the Tábor region. It was established in the early 19th century as a shared burial site for Jewish families scattered across the mostly non-Jewish villages between Pacov and Mladá Vožice.

How to get there?

Babčice lies in the Tábor district of South Bohemia, near the town of Mladá Vožice. The cemetery sits outside the village, roughly a kilometer to the north, hidden in a small patch of forest beside a field track leading toward Dolní Světlá — an area historically referred to in some records by the local name Osikovec. Arriving by car is the most practical option; the final stretch runs along a path through open fields and the edge of the woods.

Who was buried here?

Jewish families had lived in this rural district since at least the mid-18th century, but did not form separate communities in individual villages — instead, they lived dispersed among the Christian majority, a household or two per settlement. Because of this scattered pattern, they relied on one shared burial ground serving many villages at once. The earliest written record dates to 1809, and burials are believed to have begun in the early 19th century. The site covers roughly 1,200 square meters.

What can you see on site?

More than a hundred gravestones survive today — some sources count closer to two hundred — though many have toppled, broken, or shifted from their original spot. The oldest identified tombstone dates from 1841 or 1842, while the most recent burials date to the early 20th century, with some accounts pointing as late as the 1930s. The stones are mostly granite and sandstone, flat and rectangular, bearing inscriptions in Hebrew, German, or Czech, sometimes combined on a single marker. A distinctive feature is that all the gravestones face north, unlike the traditional eastward alignment found at most Jewish cemeteries.

Several stones carry decorative carvings and symbolic motifs typical of Jewish funerary art of the period. One notable marker belongs to Zalman Schick, dated 1845, depicting the rare biblical motif of the Cave of Machpelah — the patriarchs' burial place from the Book of Genesis — alongside an image of a mourning oak. A small structure that once served as a pre-burial house also remains on the grounds.

What happened to it after World War II?

Like many other Jewish cemeteries across the Czech lands, the burial ground in Babčice fell into neglect after the war, once the local Jewish community that had maintained it ceased to exist. Despite the damage and the number of fallen or displaced stones, its historical value was recognized, and in 1963 it was declared a protected cultural monument. Today the land belongs to the Jewish community of Prague.

When to visit?

Given its wooded, out-of-the-way setting, spring and summer are the best times to visit, when the approach path is dry and the longer daylight hours allow time to explore the site. Autumn can appeal to visitors seeking a quieter experience, though the ground can turn muddy after rain.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Jewish cemetery in Babčice located? About a kilometer north of the village of Babčice in the Tábor region, in a small forest beside a field path heading toward Dolní Světlá.

When was the cemetery founded? The earliest written mention dates to 1809, with burials starting in the early 19th century; the oldest surviving gravestone is dated 1841 or 1842.

Why did the cemetery serve so many villages? Jewish families in the area between Pacov and Mladá Vožice lived scattered among non-Jewish villages rather than forming separate communities, so they shared a single common burial ground.

What makes this cemetery distinctive? All the gravestones are oriented to the north, and one marker, belonging to Zalman Schick, features the rare motif of the Cave of Machpelah paired with a mourning oak.

Is the cemetery protected as a heritage site? Yes, it has been listed as a protected cultural monument since 1963, and it is owned by the Jewish community of Prague.