Karlovský hřbitov

Karlovský hřbitov – a village cemetery in the Jizera Mountains

Karlovský hřbitov is a small, rural cemetery in Karlov, a former independent settlement that today forms part of the municipality of Josefův Důl in the Jablonec nad Nisou district, in the Liberec Region of northern Bohemia. Karlov lies roughly 1.5 kilometres southwest of the centre of Josefův Důl, in a valley through which the Tichá říčka stream flows, at the foot of the Jizera Mountains.

The origins of the village

The first written mention of Karlov dates back to 1701, when Count Des Fours was establishing settlements on his estates in this part of the mountains, making use of the surrounding forests and watercourses for glassworks and new colonisation. Karlov, like neighbouring Josefův Důl, grew out of this wave of mountain-valley settlement. Over the following centuries the village developed as a small mountain community closely tied to craft and forestry work in the region.

How the village has changed

Population figures show how dramatically Karlov has shrunk over the last 150 years. In 1869 it had 333 inhabitants living in 48 houses — a sizeable settlement by mountain standards. By 2021 the population had fallen to just 44 residents in 11 houses. This decline, typical of many settlements along the former Sudeten borderlands, is tied to post-war population shifts and economic changes in the region — and it is against this backdrop of demographic decline that the cemetery's present-day quiet, modest character should be understood.

The cemetery and its surroundings

Karlovský hřbitov is one of two cemeteries maintained by the municipality of Josefův Důl (the other being in Josefův Důl itself). Both are covered by the municipality's official cemetery regulations and by a digital grave-mapping system that lets visitors locate a specific grave by number, search for a deceased person by name, and view photographs of the cemetery grounds.

The cemetery has recently undergone fence repairs, with the old fencing replaced by a new wooden structure. Conservation work also included the main entrance gate: in mid-August 2026 the gate was temporarily closed for repair and repainting, with the work continuing into the following week.

The immediate surroundings of Karlov include several other local landmarks worth noting: the Chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary with a spring, Mount Slovanka (819 m) with its lookout tower, and a former forester's lodge. This setting — a mountain landscape, a quiet stream valley, and scattered housing — gives the cemetery the character typical of small rural burial grounds in the Jizera Mountains.

A notable native

Karlov was the birthplace of the painter Klemens Siebeneichler, born on 30 June 1921 — one of the few individuals connected with the village to be recorded in its historical accounts.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Karlovský hřbitov located? In Karlov, part of the municipality of Josefův Důl, about 1.5 km southwest of the centre of Josefův Důl, in the Jablonec nad Nisou district.

Is the cemetery still in use? Yes — it is one of two cemeteries administered by the municipality of Josefův Důl, covered by official regulations and a grave-registration system.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The Chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary with its spring, Mount Slovanka with its lookout tower, and a former forester's lodge, all close to Karlov.

Has the cemetery been renovated recently? Yes, its fence was replaced with a new wooden one, and in August 2026 the main entrance gate was repaired and repainted.