In Žďár n. S., Santini's plague cemetery will be accessible this summer

Žďár nad Sázavou - The baroque cemetery near the castle will be open to the public during the summer holidays in Žďár nad Sázavou. The so-called Lower Cemetery was established in 1709 due to the threat of a plague epidemic and was constructed according to the design of Jan Blažej Santini - Aichel. The area, surrounded by a wall, now houses some original statues from the nearby baroque bridge. The cemetery is not usually accessible, said priest Vladimír Vojtěch Záleský from the Roman Catholic parish that cares for the monument.

"Since this is the Year of Baroque, we were thinking about what we could offer the town as a bonus," said the priest regarding the planned opening of the cemetery. "We expect it to be open primarily on Wednesdays and all weekends in July and August. There will be a guide there," he said. People will not have to pay an entrance fee.

The keys to the cemetery are held by guides in the museum at the Kinský Castle and by guides at the pilgrimage site on the Green Mountain, which is above the castle. "For instance, architecture students or various art historians who are interested in the site visit it. But the general public couldn't access it," Záleský stated.

The Lower Cemetery was commissioned by the abbot of the Žďár monastery, Václav Vejmluva, due to the looming plague. Thanks to thorough measures, the plague epidemic ultimately did not affect the town, and the cemetery was not used as a plague burial site. Regular burials took place there. Originally, the cemetery area had a triangular footprint. It was bordered by three chapels, and in the center of the area stood a statue of the angel of the Last Judgment. After the cemetery was expanded in the 18th century, a fourth chapel was added to its perimeter. The nearby monastery later became the castle.

Today, the cemetery also serves as a lapidarium. It houses original statues of saints from the baroque bridge near the castle, which were replaced by copies at the original site. There are currently four restored statues in the cemetery, while the remaining four are still in the restorers' workshop. The cemetery also features period wrought-iron and cast-iron crosses.