Jewish cemetery in Kožlany

The Jewish cemetery in Kožlany is one of the older Jewish heritage sites in western Bohemia, set on a hill just outside Kožlany, a small town in the Plzeň-sever district. For more than two centuries it served as a burial ground for several Jewish communities of the surrounding area, and today it stands as a quiet historical trace of their presence in the region.

How to get there?

The cemetery lies about 1.5 km northwest of the center of Kožlany, along a blue-marked hiking trail heading toward Nová Ves, on a hill once known as Šibeniční vrch (Gallows Hill). Kožlany itself is located in the Plzeň-sever district, not far from the city of Plzeň, making the area an easy stop for anyone exploring western Bohemia. The site is best reached by car or on foot along the marked trail.

How the cemetery came to be

The earliest written records of the cemetery date back to the 18th century, though some research suggests the site may already have been in use for burials earlier, possibly between 1680 and 1710. Formal ownership was confirmed on December 22, 1788, when the local Jewish community purchased the land under Šibeniční vrch from the village for 50 gold coins — a plot they had already been using in practice. The cemetery was subsequently enlarged twice, in 1783 and again in 1821, through the purchase of land from Jakub Škudery, a townsman of Kožlany, adding up to a total area of 436 fathoms.

The site served not only the local Jewish community of Kožlany, which existed through the 17th and 18th centuries but disappeared in the first half of the 19th century due to a shrinking number of families, but also the neighboring Jewish community of Kůzová (also known by its German names Wallisdorf or Wallisgrün). In 1821, that community purchased an additional plot for 31 gold coins to extend the older part of the cemetery.

What survives today

More than 170 tombstones remain on the site, the oldest dating from 1717. The last burial took place in 1936, shortly before the outbreak of World War II — the Jewish community of Kůzová continued to use the cemetery until 1940, when it ceased to exist. Rows of old matzevot stand along the boundary wall, bearing witness to generations of burials. Of the former cemetery chapel, only a fragment of the walls survives, along with a stone slab from the table once used for the ritual washing of the dead.

The cemetery is today protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, a status that has helped preserve its character despite the passage of time and the historical upheavals that affected the region's Jewish communities.

When to visit

Spring and summer are the best times to visit, when vegetation on the hillside does not obscure the tombstones and longer daylight hours make for a more comfortable walk. A visit here pairs well with exploring Kožlany itself — birthplace of Czechoslovak president Antonín Zápotocký — and with a hike along the scenic trail that winds through the surrounding hills.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Jewish cemetery in Kožlany established? The earliest records date from the 18th century, though the site may have been in use since around 1680–1710; it formally became the property of the Jewish community in 1788.

Which communities used the cemetery? It served the local Jewish community of Kožlany as well as the nearby community of Kůzová, which continued burying its dead here until 1940.

How many tombstones have survived? More than 170 matzevot remain on site, with the oldest dating back to 1717.

Are there any structures still standing? Only a fragment of the walls of the former cemetery chapel survives, together with a stone slab from the ritual washing table.