Lovrinac Cemetery

Lovrinac Cemetery is the main municipal cemetery of Split, located east of the city centre on Croatia's Dalmatian coast. It is the burial place of the city's residents and a site where several strands of Split's twentieth-century history meet. It is not a typical sightseeing stop, but for visitors interested in local history and remembrance culture it can be a meaningful visit.

How did Lovrinac Cemetery come about?

After the Second World War, the old cemetery on the Sustipan peninsula was destroyed, and Lovrinac took over as the main communal burial ground. Sustipan had served that purpose since 1832, when the area became Split's first communal cemetery. Today the former cemetery site is a memorial park, while everyday burials take place at Lovrinac.

What can you see at the cemetery?

The cemetery includes several distinct sections that reflect the region's complex history.

German war graves

The grounds hold a German plot where the graves of German soldiers who died around Split during the Second World War were gathered. More than 1,000 people are buried here, and the plot has room for about 3,200.

The Jewish section

Lovrinac also has a Jewish section with 56 gravestones. The oldest dates from 1949 and the newest from 2018. The section was established after the Second World War and is still in use, making it a living record of Split's Jewish community.

Graves from the 1990s war

Members of the Croatian army and police, as well as victims of the Ovčara crime from the Croatian War of Independence, are also buried at the cemetery.

Getting there and etiquette

The cemetery lies at roughly 43.5119° N, 16.4933° E, east of Split's historic centre. You can reach it by city transport or taxi from the centre. It is an active cemetery, so keep quiet, dress modestly and respect visiting families. Keep photography of other people's graves to a minimum.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lovrinac Cemetery a tourist attraction? Not in the classic sense. It is a working municipal cemetery, but its war plots and Jewish section interest people studying the region's history.

Are there German soldiers' graves at Lovrinac? Yes. A separate plot holds more than a thousand burials, with space planned for about 3,200.

Is there a Jewish cemetery here? Yes, a dedicated section with 56 gravestones dated 1949 to 2018, still in use.

What happened to the old Sustipan cemetery? It was destroyed after the Second World War, and communal burials moved to Lovrinac. The site is now a memorial park.

Is Lovrinac worth visiting during a stay in Split? If you are interested in twentieth-century Dalmatian history, yes. A short, quiet visit is enough.