Jewish cemetery in Rakovník

The Jewish cemetery in Rakovník is one of the best-preserved remnants of the town's historic Jewish community, set on a sloping plot above the Rakovnický stream on the eastern edge of the town. Covering more than 4,300 m², it ranks among the larger Jewish burial grounds in central Bohemia.

When was the cemetery founded?

The cemetery was established in 1635, although the earliest written records of Jewish settlement in Rakovník date back to 1441. For the following two centuries only a handful of Jewish families lived in the town, and it was not until 1796 that the Jewish religious community was formally founded. By the 1830s the community had grown to around thirty families and even maintained a regional rabbinical court, underlining Rakovník's growing importance as a local center of Jewish life.

How did the cemetery grounds change over time?

As the number of burials increased, the cemetery was enlarged three times — in 1745, 1856 and 1891. Each expansion allowed the site to accommodate a growing number of graves and reflects the long, continuous use of the cemetery as the community's central burial ground.

What has survived to the present day?

The cemetery preserves 430 tombstones in Baroque and Classicist style. The oldest legible stone dates from 1656–57, making it one of the earliest surviving testimonies to Jewish presence in this part of Bohemia. The grounds also include a cremation section and a Classicist-era gravedigger's house, a well-kept building that today houses a small exhibition on the history of Jewish life in the Rakovník region. A ceremonial hall from the early 20th century, decorated with ornamental murals, has also survived and was recently restored.

Who cares for the cemetery today?

The cemetery is still occasionally used for burials, and since 1996 it has been maintained by the Jewish Community of Prague. Conservation work carried out over the years has included repairs to the perimeter wall and the straightening of tilted tombstones, preserving the site's authentic character.

Why is this place worth visiting?

The Rakovník cemetery stands out among Jewish burial grounds in the Czech Republic for its good state of preservation and the absence of postwar vandalism — local residents together with regional and national authorities carried out restoration work here regularly even before 1980. As a result, visitors can see not only numerous historic tombstones but also a complete spatial layout typical of central European Jewish cemeteries, spanning the oldest section from the 17th century through later expansions added in the 19th century.

Frequently asked questions

How many tombstones have survived at the cemetery? The cemetery preserves 430 tombstones in Baroque and Classicist style, with the oldest dating from 1656–57.

When was the cemetery founded? The cemetery was founded in 1635, while the Jewish community in Rakovník had already existed since 1441.

Is the cemetery still in use? Yes, the grounds are still occasionally used for burials, and since 1996 they have been cared for by the Jewish Community of Prague.

What can visitors see besides the tombstones? Besides the tombstones, the grounds include a gravedigger's house with a small historical exhibition and a restored ceremonial hall from the early 20th century with ornamental murals.