Jewish cemetery in Běštín

The Jewish cemetery in Běštín is one of the few surviving traces of the Jewish community that once lived around Hostomice, tucked away at the edge of the forest covering Chlumek hill. Although it sits administratively on the border of the Běštín cadastral area, the site has long been linked in name to the nearby town of Hostomice, which maintains it today.

Where exactly is the cemetery located?

The burial ground lies roughly 2 km southwest of Hostomice, in the Beroun District of Central Bohemia. It is reached via a field path that branches off to the left from the road leading to Běštín, heading toward the edge of the woods. Set at the foot of a forested hill, the cemetery feels quiet and secluded, away from the built-up areas of either village.

How did it get its name, and what is its history?

The cemetery carries the name of Běštín because it was the local Jewish community there that founded it in 1837. Before that, the dead from this area were buried in the Jewish cemetery in nearby Litna, and it was only the growth of the community that prompted it to establish a burial ground of its own. The Jewish community in Běštín, however, did not survive long: following a pogrom in 1866, it ceased to exist, and responsibility for the cemetery passed to the Jewish community of Hostomice. Since then, Hostomice has been administratively tied to the site, even though it physically lies within the neighboring village's cadastre.

How did the cemetery change over the years?

At the beginning of the 20th century, the burial ground was enlarged to its present size of nearly 2,000 square meters. Burials continued here without interruption until World War II, with the last recorded in 1942. After the war, following the destruction of the local Jewish community, the cemetery gradually fell into disrepair — overgrown with vegetation, its tombstones deteriorating without care. The turning point came only in the 1990s, when systematic restoration began: undergrowth was cleared, fallen tombstones were repaired, and the surrounding wall with its two entrances was renovated.

What survives on the site today?

Around 160 tombstones remain within the cemetery grounds — a relatively substantial number for a small rural Jewish cemetery. Of the original mortuary building (the pre-burial house), only part of the perimeter wall has survived, a reminder of how much was lost during the decades of neglect. Even so, the site today gives the impression of a well-kept and cared-for place, reflecting the conservation work carried out since the 1990s.

What protected status does the cemetery hold?

The Jewish cemetery in Běštín is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, granting it formal legal protection and support for its continued upkeep.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cemetery open to visitors? The site can be reached on foot via a field path branching off the road to Běštín. It remains primarily a memorial site rather than a conventional tourist attraction, so visitors are encouraged to treat it with appropriate respect.

Why is the cemetery named after Běštín if it belongs to Hostomice? The name reflects its founding by the Jewish community of Běštín in 1837. After that community disappeared following the 1866 pogrom, Hostomice took over its administration, but the historical name remained in use.

How many tombstones have survived? Roughly 160 tombstones remain, dating mainly from the 19th and the first half of the 20th century.

Until when were burials held here? The last burials took place in 1942, during World War II.