Jewish cemetery in Úbočí

The Jewish cemetery in Úbočí is a historic Jewish burial ground in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic, tucked into the wooded hills of the Slavkovský les (Kaiserwald) landscape area, right beside the castle pond and the ruins of Boršengrýn Castle. It is the last physical trace of a Jewish community that lived in the shadow of those ruins for more than a century.

How to get there?

Úbočí is a small village belonging to the municipality of Dolní Žandov, in the Cheb District of western Bohemia. The cemetery sits outside the built-up part of the village, on a forested slope above the Hradní rybník (Castle Pond), facing the ruins of Boršengrýn Castle. The easiest approach is by car from Cheb or nearby Mariánské Lázně, following local roads toward Dolní Žandov. The final stretch to the cemetery itself has to be covered on foot, along a path branching off the main trail.

Where did the Jewish settlement in Úbočí come from?

Jewish settlement near Boršengrýn Castle dates back to the Middle Ages. Records from 1830 refer to the village beneath the castle ruins as the "Jewish Town" (Židovské Město), then made up of 17 houses. Residents earned their living mainly from trading livestock, hides, and flax. The settlement had its own synagogue, housed in building number 117 and reached by an external staircase; the community was called to services by three knocks on door knockers.

The community's decline began with a fire on 29 May 1889, which destroyed nine buildings, including the synagogue. Religious life in the settlement effectively ended after the disaster, and the following decades — especially after the First World War — brought further emigration. By 1930, no Jewish family remained in Úbočí.

What can you see at the cemetery?

The oldest surviving written record of a burial here dates from 1837, although some sources suggest the ground may have been used for burials even earlier. Seventy-one tombstones of various sizes, shapes, and ages survive, arranged in irregular rows. Most are carved from local granite, with a few sandstone examples among them. Recurring motifs on the stones include the blessing hands of the Kohanim and the Star of David, with inscriptions in both Hebrew and German.

The wall that once enclosed the entire cemetery was partly dismantled over the years, its stone reused for local construction, leaving it lower and damaged in places today. A thorough restoration in 2005 righted fallen tombstones and cleared the grounds of overgrown vegetation. Thanks to that work, the cemetery is now one of the better-maintained sites of its kind in the region. It is cared for by the Jewish community of Plzeň.

When to visit?

Since the cemetery sits outdoors in a forest setting, spring and summer are the best seasons to visit, when the approach path is dry and vegetation does not obscure the tombstones. Autumn can leave the ground damp, but fewer visitors make it a good time for a quieter, more contemplative visit. It is worth combining the trip with a look at the nearby ruins of Boršengrýn Castle, which serve as a natural landmark on the way to the cemetery.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Jewish cemetery in Úbočí located? It lies on a wooded slope above the Hradní rybník pond, opposite the ruins of Boršengrýn Castle, within the municipality of Dolní Žandov in the Cheb District.

How old are the oldest graves at the cemetery? The oldest written record of a burial dates from 1837, though the site may have been used as a burial ground even earlier.

Why did the Jewish community in Úbočí disappear? A fire on 29 May 1889 destroyed the synagogue and nine other buildings; by 1930, no Jewish family was left living in the village.

How many tombstones have survived? Seventy-one tombstones remain, mostly granite, inscribed in Hebrew and German and decorated with motifs such as the Star of David and the blessing hands of the Kohanim.