Břevnov cemetery

Welcome to the deeply atmospheric, subtly powerful grounds of the Brzhev-nov Cemetery, a hidden jewel of memory tucked away in the western reaches of Prague. Unlike the massive, sprawling necropolises of Ol-shah-nee or the highly…

Entering through the modest wrought-iron gates, the immediate sensation is one of stepping out of the current century. The pathway before you is lined with some of the oldest graves in the cemetery, stones that date back to the…

Navigating deeper into the quiet grid of the cemetery, we arrive at a site of immense historical and philosophical weight: the grave of Jan Pa-toch-ka. Pa-toch-ka was one of the most significant Central European philosophers of…

Just a short walk from Patočka’s resting place, we find another deeply poignant site dedicated to the spirit of Czech resistance: the grave of Karel Kryl. Kryl was the iconic protest singer-songwriter whose poetic, melancholic…

Moving away from the graves of the modern dissidents, we turn down a narrow, shaded path that leads to a specialized, communal burial area reserved specifically for the Benedictine monks of the Brzhev-nov Monastery. This section…

Let us walk along the northern perimeter, a path that I like to call the avenue of the whispering trees. Because Brzhev-nov Cemetery is situated on a slight elevation, it possesses a unique microclimate. …

Before we conclude our tour, we pass through the newer, mid-to-late twentieth-century section of the cemetery. This area offers a fascinating visual contrast to the eroded baroque stones near the entrance. …

As we conclude our contemplative journey through the Brzhev-nov Cemetery, take a final moment to stand near the modest gates, looking back into the deep shadows of the ancient trees. We have traversed a remarkably dense landscape…