Rakowicki Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Rakowicki Cemetery is one of the best known cemeteries
of Poland
, located in the centre of Kraków
. It lies within the Administrative District No. 1 Stare Miasto meaning "Old Town" – not to be confused with the historic Kraków Old Town further west. Founded at the beginning of the 19th century (during the times of Austria-Hungary
), the cemetery was expanded several times and at present, covers an area of about 42 hectares. Is the resting place of many notable people of Kraków. Buried there – among others – are the parents of Pope John Paul II
.
of Czerna
, and built with funds from the city and the surrounding villages (including some future Districts of Kraków
): Rakowice
, Prądnik Czerwony and Biały, Olsza, Grzegórzki, Piaski, Bronowice, Czarna Village, Nowa Village, Krowodrza and Kawiory, all granted the right to bury their dead there. The first funeral took place on January 15, 1803, with the burial of an 18-year-old named Apolonia from the Lubowiecki family of Bursikowa estate.
In 1807, the first well was dug, and in 1812 the first big cross was built with public contributions. Rakowicki Cemetery was repeatedly enlarged over the years. The first expansion came in 1836 when 100% more land was bought from Carmelite friars for 5,000 zloty (note, a steep price increase). The design of the new part of the cemetery was commissioned from architect Karol R. Kremer, head of the department of urban construction, who gave it the form of a city park. The surrounding wall was made using bricks and stones obtained from the demolition of the Church of All Saints. The newly built cemetery was blessed on November 2, 1840. The first chapel
was erected in 1862, six years after the Austrian permit was finally issued. In 1863 the city purchased more land from Carmelite friars – and from Walery Rzewuski – on the west side of the cemetery and buried there victims of an epidemic of 1866. In 1877 the new administrative centre was built along with the mortuary. The next expansion took place ten years later, in the autumn of 1886. In this new section the nominal painter Jan Matejko
– among others – have been buried.
Between 1933 and 1934 the cemetery was widened at its north end, across an old military base with a city street eliminated. And finally, in 1976, it was entered onto a list of local heritage sites.
is a place of burial of the ordinary citizens of the city as well as national heroes: famous writers, scientists, representatives of noble families, independence fighters, political and social activists, leaders and participants of Polish independence movements and insurrections, world wars veterans and others.
Within the cemetery, there are special sections allocated to graves of the participants of Polish national uprisings such as the November Uprising
, the January Uprising
and the Kraków Uprising
. There are victims of First World War buried there, including ethnically Polish soldiers drafted to all three imperial armies: Austrian, Russian and Prussian – most of whom died in local hospitals. There are members of Polish Legions
; the participants of the Charge at Rokitna
; the workers killed during strikes of 1936; the victims of the Second World War including soldiers of the Polish September campaign of 1939. All Allied
pilots shot down over Poland are buried here, including those who were originally buried in Warsaw
, along with hundreds of Commonwealth of Nations
casualties and prisoners of war who died during the German occupation
; the latter brought together by the BAOR into a Commonwealth plot containing a Cross of Sacrifice
. Polish partisans, the victims of the Nazi crimes; and, even the Soviet soldiers killed during their anti-German attack on Kraków in 1945.
The cemetery is a national monument of great historical and artistic value. Its selected gravestones and mausoleums are the work of well-known architects, among them, Teofil Żebrawski, Feliks Księżarski, Sławomir Odrzywolski, Jakub Szczepkowski, as well as sculptors such as Konstanty Laszczka
, Tadeusz Błotnicki, Wacław Szymanowski, Karol Hukana and others. In 1981 a Public Committee for the Preservation of Kraków was founded, with a special sub-committee for the saving of the cemeteries of Kraków and other regional heritage sites. OKRK is organizing an annual collections for the restoration of historic tombs and gravestones. Works are being conducted simultaneously at the Rakowicki Cemetery and the New Foothill Cemetery (with the cooperation of the Association Podgórze.pl). OKRK is organizing an annual donation drive, raising funds for the renovation of historic tombs and the public monuments. Public funds are used for the restoration of deteriorating tombs without owners.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, located in the centre of Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. It lies within the Administrative District No. 1 Stare Miasto meaning "Old Town" – not to be confused with the historic Kraków Old Town further west. Founded at the beginning of the 19th century (during the times of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
), the cemetery was expanded several times and at present, covers an area of about 42 hectares. Is the resting place of many notable people of Kraków. Buried there – among others – are the parents of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
History
The Rakowicki Cemetery was set up in 1800–1802 at an estate in Prądnik Czerwony village, originally on an area of only 5.6 ha. It was first used in mid-January 1803. The new cemetery came into existence in relation to a public health-related government ban on burials in old church cemeteries within the city. The land was purchased for 1,150 zloty from the monastery of the Discalced CarmelitesDiscalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
of Czerna
Czerna, Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Czerna is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Krzeszowice, within Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately north of Krzeszowice and north-west of the regional capital Kraków....
, and built with funds from the city and the surrounding villages (including some future Districts of Kraków
Districts of Kraków
The city of Kraków is divided into 18 administrative districts, each with a degree of autonomy within the municipal government. The Polish name for such a district is dzielnica....
): Rakowice
Rakowice, Kraków
Rakowice, formerly a village – is an urban area in Kraków, Poland, part of both: District III Prądnik Czerwony and District XIV Czyżyny. Currently, the neighborhood is heavily urbanized, with a small amount of parks. The predominant structures are apartment buildings and detached houses...
, Prądnik Czerwony and Biały, Olsza, Grzegórzki, Piaski, Bronowice, Czarna Village, Nowa Village, Krowodrza and Kawiory, all granted the right to bury their dead there. The first funeral took place on January 15, 1803, with the burial of an 18-year-old named Apolonia from the Lubowiecki family of Bursikowa estate.
In 1807, the first well was dug, and in 1812 the first big cross was built with public contributions. Rakowicki Cemetery was repeatedly enlarged over the years. The first expansion came in 1836 when 100% more land was bought from Carmelite friars for 5,000 zloty (note, a steep price increase). The design of the new part of the cemetery was commissioned from architect Karol R. Kremer, head of the department of urban construction, who gave it the form of a city park. The surrounding wall was made using bricks and stones obtained from the demolition of the Church of All Saints. The newly built cemetery was blessed on November 2, 1840. The first chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
was erected in 1862, six years after the Austrian permit was finally issued. In 1863 the city purchased more land from Carmelite friars – and from Walery Rzewuski – on the west side of the cemetery and buried there victims of an epidemic of 1866. In 1877 the new administrative centre was built along with the mortuary. The next expansion took place ten years later, in the autumn of 1886. In this new section the nominal painter Jan Matejko
Jan Matejko
Jan Matejko was a Polish painter known for paintings of notable historical Polish political and military events. His most famous works include oil on canvas paintings like Battle of Grunwald, paintings of numerous other battles and court scenes, and a gallery of Polish kings...
– among others – have been buried.
Between 1933 and 1934 the cemetery was widened at its north end, across an old military base with a city street eliminated. And finally, in 1976, it was entered onto a list of local heritage sites.
Cultural significance
The name of the Rakowicki Cemetery derives from the name of the Rakowicka street, once a country road leading to the village of Rakowice 2 km away. The necropolisNecropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
is a place of burial of the ordinary citizens of the city as well as national heroes: famous writers, scientists, representatives of noble families, independence fighters, political and social activists, leaders and participants of Polish independence movements and insurrections, world wars veterans and others.
Within the cemetery, there are special sections allocated to graves of the participants of Polish national uprisings such as the November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
, the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
and the Kraków Uprising
Kraków Uprising
The Kraków Uprising of February 1846 was an attempt, led by Edward Dembowski, to incite a Polish fight for national independence. Even though most of Poland was part of the Russian Empire, the Polish risings were conducted mainly in Prussia and in the Austrian Empire.-History:Most of the...
. There are victims of First World War buried there, including ethnically Polish soldiers drafted to all three imperial armies: Austrian, Russian and Prussian – most of whom died in local hospitals. There are members of Polish Legions
Polish Legions in World War I
Polish Legions was the name of Polish armed forces created in August 1914 in Galicia. Thanks to the efforts of KSSN and the Polish members of the Austrian parliament, the unit became an independent formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army...
; the participants of the Charge at Rokitna
Brigade II of the Polish Legions
Brigade II of the Polish Legions , also known as the Iron or Carpathian Brigade, a unit of Austro-Hungarian Army, manned by Austrian Poles, part of the Polish Legions in World War I, that existed from 1914 or 1915 till 1918..-History:The unit was formed in mid-December 1914 , as part of the...
; the workers killed during strikes of 1936; the victims of the Second World War including soldiers of the Polish September campaign of 1939. All Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
pilots shot down over Poland are buried here, including those who were originally buried in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, along with hundreds of Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
casualties and prisoners of war who died during the German occupation
History of Poland (1939–1945)
The history of Poland from 1939 to 1945 encompasses the German invasion of Poland as well as the Soviet invasion of Poland through to the end of World War II. On 1 September 1939, without a formal declaration of war, Germany invaded Poland...
; the latter brought together by the BAOR into a Commonwealth plot containing a Cross of Sacrifice
Cross of Sacrifice
The Cross of Sacrifice was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield for the Imperial War Graves Commission and is usually present in Commonwealth war cemeteries containing 40 or more graves. It is normally a freestanding four point limestone Latin cross in one of three sizes ranging in height from 18 to...
. Polish partisans, the victims of the Nazi crimes; and, even the Soviet soldiers killed during their anti-German attack on Kraków in 1945.
The cemetery is a national monument of great historical and artistic value. Its selected gravestones and mausoleums are the work of well-known architects, among them, Teofil Żebrawski, Feliks Księżarski, Sławomir Odrzywolski, Jakub Szczepkowski, as well as sculptors such as Konstanty Laszczka
Konstanty Laszczka
Konstanty Laszczka was a Polish sculptor, painter, graphic artist, as well as professor and rector of the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków...
, Tadeusz Błotnicki, Wacław Szymanowski, Karol Hukana and others. In 1981 a Public Committee for the Preservation of Kraków was founded, with a special sub-committee for the saving of the cemeteries of Kraków and other regional heritage sites. OKRK is organizing an annual collections for the restoration of historic tombs and gravestones. Works are being conducted simultaneously at the Rakowicki Cemetery and the New Foothill Cemetery (with the cooperation of the Association Podgórze.pl). OKRK is organizing an annual donation drive, raising funds for the renovation of historic tombs and the public monuments. Public funds are used for the restoration of deteriorating tombs without owners.
Notable individuals
Those buried at the Rakowicki Cemetery include:
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Apollo Korzeniowski Apollo Korzeniowski was a Polish poet, playwright, clandestine political activist, and father of Polish-English novelist Joseph Conrad.-Life:... Juliusz Kossak Juliusz Fortunat Kossak was a Polish historical painter and master illustrator who specialized in battle scenes, military portraits and horses... Wojciech Kossak Wojciech Kossak was a Polish painter and member of the celebrated Kossak family of painters and writers... Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski was a Polish politician and economist, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, government minister and manager of the Second Polish Republic.... Juliusz Leo Juliusz Franciszek Leo was a Polish politician and academic. Professor of Jagiellonian University , first deputy mayor of Kraków 1901-1904, mayor from 1904 for three terms until his death. Founder and first president of Supreme National Committee , and supporter of the idea of Polish Legions... Jan Matejko Jan Matejko was a Polish painter known for paintings of notable historical Polish political and military events. His most famous works include oil on canvas paintings like Battle of Grunwald, paintings of numerous other battles and court scenes, and a gallery of Polish kings... Józef Mehoffer Józef Mehoffer was a Polish painter and decorative artist, one of the leading artists of the Young Poland movement and one of the most revered Polish artists of his time.-Life:... Tadeusz Pankiewicz Tadeusz Pankiewicz , was a Polish Roman Catholic pharmacist, operating in the Kraków Ghetto during the Nazi German occupation of Poland... Stefan Pawlicki Stefan Zachariasz Pawlicki was a Polish Catholic priest, philosopher, historian of philosophy, professor and rector of Kraków's Jagiellonian University.-Life:... Henryk Reyman Henryk Tomasz Reyman was an attacking soccer player, sports official and military officer. He fought in World War I in the Austrian Army, then in the Polish Army in the Polish-Soviet War, and also participated in the Silesian Uprisings.-Sports career:He came to Wisła in 1910 and remained with the... |
Lucjan Rydel Lucjan Rydel a.k.a. Lucjan Antoni Feliks Rydel , was a Polish playwright and poet from the Young Poland movement.-Life:... Klemens Stefan Sielecki Klemens Stefan Sielecki was a Polish engineer and technical director of the first Polish Locomotive Factory Fablok in Chrzanów in the post-war years until 1964.... Józef Szujski Józef Szujski was a Polish politician, historian, poet and professor of the Jagiellonian University.... Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz was a Polish architect and conservator of monuments. Between 1902 and 1909, he studied in Sankt Petersburg, later also in Austria in Germany. In 1910 Szyszko-Bohusz began lecturing at the Jagiellonian University and at the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow... Rafał Taubenschlag Rafał Taubenschlag was a Polish historian of law, a specialist in Roman law and papyrology.-Life:... Rudolf Weigl Professor Rudolf Stefan Weigl was a famous Polish biologist and inventor of the first effective vaccine against epidemic typhus. Weigl founded the Weigl Institute in Lwów, Poland , where he did his vaccine-producing research.Of Austrian ethnic descent, Weigl was born in Přerov, Moravia... Wiktor Zin Wiktor Zin - Polish architect, graphic artist, professor, architectural preservationist, cultural activist, and promoter of Polish history and culture.-Biography:... Georg Trakl Georg Trakl was an Austrian poet. He is considered one of the most important Austrian Expressionists.- Life and work :Trakl was born and lived the first 18 years of his life in Salzburg, Austria... , Austrian poet, the resting place between |