Prague, Part 2: Vyšehradský hřbitov (Vyšehrad cemetery)

Next to the imposing Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Vyšehrad lies the compact, pretty Vyšehrad hřbitov (Vyšehrad Cemetery).  Open from roughly 9-5,  it´s a must-visit for anyone in the area due to both its lovely tombstones, and the fact that a number of notable Czechs are buried there.

Vyšehrad cemetery

An interesting factoid about this cemetery is that it contains many authors, composers, businesspeople, and artists from the elite ranks of Czech society, but virtually no politicians, which may say something about how Czechs view their leaders!

Being as it´s full of artists, it is little surprise then that many of the tombstones are unusual and artistic:

Leaning grave marker

Tombstone

Hands

The center of the cemetery is nicely tended, with just the right amount  of overgrown’ness.

Grassy graves

Along the perimeter are much fancier monuments, many featuring very attractive mosaic or fresco pieces on the walls and ceilings.  As is the case in much of Prague, the influence of the Art Nouveau movement can be felt here, with many figures exemplifying the style, one of my favorites.

Art Nouveau monument

Fancy monument

Art Nouveau detail

More Nouveau detail

Trés nouveau!

This was probably my favorite headstone

Amid the Art Nouveau grandeur and artistic expressions are more traditional cemetery art forms:

Monument mosaic

Gravesite

Flowers

Crosses

Jay (European) / Garrulus glandarius

I did not see very many birds here, but a pretty Jay (LIFER!) allowed me to get a few photographs.  Although named a Jay, this European one is in a different genus than any of our North American Jays.

Among the famous names interred here are Alfons Mucha (wiki page, official site), whose inscription on the Slavin Monument gives no hint of the wonderful Art Nouveau decorative style he helped to popularize,

Antonin Dvořák, classical composer, best-known for his New World Symphony (the second movement is the most famous part),

writer Jan Neruda,

and Bedřich Smetana, composer of the Czech symphonic poem masterpiece Má Vlast (´My Country´), with its lovely minor-key piece, Vltava (see about 1 minute in, courtesy of musopen.com)

Cemetery lane

Slavín monument

Slavín monument detail

At the far end of the cemetery is the large Slavín Monument, marking many notable Czechs, including the aforementioned Mucha.

Like Vyšehrad itself, the cemetery is a must-visit, in my opinion, and, like the rest of the park, is lightly visited compared to the thick crowds in much of old Prague.

Prague index:

• Part 1: Vysehrad
• Part 2: Vysehradsky hrbitov (Vysehrad cemetery) <– You are here
• Part 3: Karluv Most (Charles Bridge)
• Part 4: Vaclavske namesti (Wenceslas Square)
• Part 5: Letecke Muzeum Kbely (Czech Air Force Museum)
• Part 6: Stare Mesto (Old Town)
• Part 7: Staromestske namesti (Old Town Square)
• Part 8: Prazsky orloj (Astronomical Clock)
• Part 9: Josefov (Jewish Quarter)
• Part 10: Vltava River
• Part 11: St. Nicholas Cathedral (Chram sv. Mikulase)
• Part 12: Wallenstein Palace (Valdstejnsky palac)
• Part 13: Kampa Island
• Part 14: Mala Strana street art
• Part 15: Petrin Hill
• Part 16: Mala Strana
• Part 17: Mala Strana house signs
• Part 18: Strahovský klášter (Strahov Monastery)
• Part 19: Schwarzenberský palác (Schwarzenberg Palace)
• Part 20: Toy Musuem
• Part 21: St. Vitus Cathedral gargoyles
• Part 22: St. Vitus Cathedral (exterior)
• Part 23: St. Vitus Cathedral (interior)
• Part 24: Prazky Hrad (Prague Castle), I
• Part 25: Prazky Hrad (Prague Castle), II