Military cemetery in Komárov

The Military Cemetery in Komárov is a small but striking burial ground from the Austro-Prussian War, tucked at the edge of a forest near the settlement of Komárov, part of the Nechanice municipality in the Hradec Králové region of the Czech Republic. It holds the graves of hundreds of soldiers who died as a result of one of the largest 19th-century battles fought in Central Europe – the Battle of Königgrätz.

What historical event created this cemetery?

The cemetery dates back to the immediate aftermath of the clash between Austrian, Prussian, and Saxon forces on 3 July 1866 near Hradec Králové. Once the fighting ended, the Prussian army set up a makeshift network of field hospitals in Nechanice and the surrounding villages – seven for the severely wounded and thirteen for those less seriously hurt. Altogether 2,746 soldiers were treated there. Despite medical care, many did not survive their injuries: 246 Austrians, 118 Saxons, and 201 Prussians died. They were buried on a field next to the former Nechanice pheasant reserve, on the spot that is still known today as the military cemetery in Komárov.

Who built and maintained the cemetery?

Unusually, the burial ground was funded and tastefully laid out by the Saxon government, rather than by the authorities of the country on whose territory the battle took place. Care of the site later passed to Count Jan Harrach, and afterward to volunteer firefighters from Nechanice and local post-office employees. Today the cemetery is looked after by a local association dedicated to preserving monuments connected to the war of 1866. The stone elements of the cemetery were restored in 2005, so the inscriptions and details remain clearly legible.

How big is the cemetery, and how many soldiers are buried there?

The cemetery covers just 360 square meters, yet within that small area lie the graves of 565 soldiers from three armies. This kind of burial density was typical of war cemeteries hastily established after the great 19th-century battles, when the number of casualties far exceeded the capacity of ordinary graveyards.

What else is there to see nearby?

A short distance away, in the so-called Štrosovy sady, four monuments numbered 77 to 80 commemorate Austrian and Prussian officers who fell in this area. Both the cemetery and the monuments are stops along an educational trail dedicated to the 1866 battle, which winds through the fields and woods around Nechanice and links the key sites connected to those events.

How do you get there?

The cemetery lies at the edge of a forest, close to the former pheasant reserve, a short distance from the road connecting Nechanice with neighboring villages. The easiest approach is to follow the paved road out of Nechanice and finish the last stretch on a forest path. The route is not technically demanding and makes for a pleasant walk of a few kilometers, easily combined with a visit to other sites connected to the 1866 battle.

Frequently asked questions

What historical event is this cemetery connected to? The Battle of Königgrätz (3 July 1866), one of the decisive battles of the Austro-Prussian War – the soldiers buried here died in field hospitals set up after the fighting in and around Nechanice.

How many people are buried at the Komárov cemetery? 565 soldiers – 246 Austrians, 118 Saxons, and 201 Prussians, all of whom died of wounds sustained in the battle.

Who currently looks after the cemetery? A local association devoted to preserving monuments from the war of 1866; the stone elements were restored in 2005.

Are there other war memorials nearby? Yes – four numbered officer monuments stand in the nearby Štrosovy sady, and the whole area forms part of an educational trail dedicated to the 1866 battle.