Toleranční hřbitov v Ruzyni

The Tolerance Cemetery in Ruzyně is a small but historically significant Protestant burial ground on a hillside in Prague's Ruzyně district, on Huberova Street. It was established between 1784 and 1788, shortly after Emperor Joseph II issued the Patent of Toleration in 1781 — a decree that, for the first time since the Counter-Reformation, allowed non-Catholics to practice their faith openly and bury their dead outside Catholic parish cemeteries. The Ruzyně cemetery was one of only two such tolerance cemeteries built in Prague, making it a rare surviving witness to a pivotal moment of religious change in the Habsburg monarchy.

Why was this cemetery founded here?

Before 1781, Protestants in Bohemia had to bury their dead secretly or rely on Catholic cemeteries under considerable restrictions. The Patent of Toleration changed that by permitting separate, denomination-specific burial grounds. The Ruzyně cemetery served the Protestant community of several surrounding villages and settlements: Střešovice, Ruzyně itself, Lysolaje, Veleslavín, Šárka, Podbaba, Sedlec, Podhoří, and Stodůlky. For more than a century and a half, it functioned as the main resting place for evangelicals on Prague's western outskirts.

What does the cemetery look like today?

The site occupies a small rectangular plot roughly 16.5 by 10.5 meters, set into a green hillside and enclosed by a wall. Inside, historic gravestones survive, reflecting the modest, unadorned aesthetic typical of Protestant burials of the era — a deliberate contrast to the more elaborate Catholic cemeteries of the time. The last burial took place here in the spring of 1945, meaning the cemetery remained in continuous use for more than 160 years.

What happened to it in later decades?

Until 1957, the cemetery was maintained by the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren. That year, the communist regime confiscated it from the church, beginning a period of gradual neglect and decay. It took decades before restoration work began: in 2000, the surrounding wall was rebuilt, returning the cemetery to a dignified state. Today, the Tolerance Cemetery is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic and remains freely accessible to visitors.

What should you know before visiting?

The cemetery sits in a quiet, green corner of Ruzyně, away from the crowds of central Prague. It appeals to visitors interested in religious history, funerary architecture, and the city's lesser-known corners. Given its small size, a visit doesn't take long, but it's worth pausing to read the surviving inscriptions and take in the historical weight of the place.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Tolerance Cemetery in Ruzyně established? It was founded between 1784 and 1788, following Joseph II's Patent of Toleration of 1781.

Who was it built for? It served the Protestant community from surrounding settlements: Střešovice, Ruzyně, Lysolaje, Veleslavín, Šárka, Podbaba, Sedlec, Podhoří, and Stodůlky.

When did the last burial take place? In the spring of 1945.

Is the cemetery open to visitors today? Yes, it is freely accessible and protected as a Czech cultural monument.

What happened to the cemetery after 1957? The communist regime seized it from the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, leading to years of neglect; the surrounding wall was restored in 2000.