Monte Ghiro City Cemetery

Monte Ghiro City Cemetery (Italian: Monte Giro) is the main municipal cemetery of Pula, in Istria, Croatia. For visitors it is above all a place of remembrance and a record of the city's multicultural past, not a typical tourist sight.

What is Monte Ghiro cemetery?

The cemetery was established in the mid-19th century. Historian Raul Marsetič devoted a 2013 monograph to it, tracing its development from 1846 to 1947 and presenting it as a symbol of the city's identity and a place of memory. Pula changed hands several times during that period, and the layout of the graves, the surnames and the inscriptions show how its population changed.

Why is it a protected cultural asset?

In 2010 the Pula city council declared part of the cemetery a cultural asset of local significance. The protection covers 1,008 grave complexes. Work on protected graves requires approval from the heritage authority, so they cannot simply be rebuilt or removed.

Who is buried here?

The cemetery holds residents of Pula of different faiths. Pula's Jewish community was also buried here: the city had two municipal cemeteries, and Monte Ghiro was one of them, with a separate section for non-Catholics. After World War I those sections were no longer used. Pula's separate Jewish cemetery lies on Rikarda Katalinića Jeretova Street.

Burial registers

Eleven burial registers have been digitized in a project backed by Croatia's Ministry of Culture, the Historical and Naval Museum of Istria and the municipal funeral company Monte Giro: nine from the City Cemetery and two from the Naval Cemetery. They are a valuable source for historians and for people tracing their ancestors.

Is the cemetery still in use?

Yes. Monte Ghiro still serves the residents of Pula and is run by the municipal funeral company. Ceremonies are held here every year on All Souls' Day. In 2024, after Mass in Pula Cathedral, wreaths were laid first at the Naval cemetery and then at the civil cemetery on Monte Giro.

Frequently asked questions

Is Monte Ghiro the same as the Naval Cemetery? No. The Naval Cemetery (Marinefriedhof) is a separate, larger burial ground in Pula. Monte Ghiro is the civil cemetery.

How many graves are protected? 1,008 grave complexes in the designated part of the cemetery.

When was it declared a cultural asset? In 2010, by decision of the Pula city council, as an asset of local significance.

How should I behave when visiting? It is an active cemetery, so keep quiet and respect families visiting graves. Avoid sightseeing during funerals and around All Souls' Day, when many locals come.