Powązki Cemetery

Powązki Cemetery (Polish pronunciation: [pɔˈvɔ̃skʲi]; Polish: Cmentarz Powązkowski), also known as Stare Powązki (English: Old Powązki), is a historic necropolis located in Wola district, in the western part of Warsaw, Poland. It is the most famous cemetery in the city and one of the oldest, having been established in 1790. It is the burial place of many illustrious individuals from Polish history. Some are interred along the "Avenue of the Distinguished" - Aleja Zasłużonych, created in 1925. It is estimated that over 1 million people are buried at Powązki.[2]

"Powązki" redirects here. For other uses, see Powązki (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Powązki Military Cemetery.
Powązki Cemetery
Example of lavish tombstones at the cemetery
Details
Established4 November 1790[1]
Location
Warsaw
CountryPoland
TypePublic
Size43 hectares (110 acres)[1]
No. of gravesover 1 million[2]
WebsiteUnofficial website
Find a GravePowązki Cemetery

The cemetery is often confused with the newer Powązki Military Cemetery, which is located to the north-west of Powązki Cemetery.

History

Powązki Cemetery was established on 4 November 1790 on land donated by nobleman Melchior Szymanowski, and consecrated on 20 May 1792. Initially it covered an area of only about 2.5 ha. In the same year Saint Karol Boromeusz Church, designed by Dominik Merlini, was built on the northern edge of the cemetery. The catacombs were erected soon thereafter.

Several other cemeteries were founded in the area: the Jewish cemetery, and those of the Calvinist, Lutheran, Caucasian and Tatar communities. The Orthodox cemetery is also located in the vicinity.

As in many old European cemeteries, some of the tombstones in Powązki were created by renowned sculptors, both Polish and foreign. Some of the monuments are examples of the then prevailing styles in art and architecture.

On All Saints Day (1 November) and Zaduszki (2 November) in Warsaw, vigils are held not only in the Roman Catholic cemeteries, but in the Protestant, Muslim, Jewish and Orthodox cemeteries as well. At Powązki Cemetery, many graves are lit up by Votive candles.

Some notable burials

A few of the notables buried here are:

gollark: It would give it a great modern look.
gollark: Yes, that is what I said.
gollark: White concrete. Or glass.
gollark: I mean, loads of major buildings have been made with it, so it would be extremely triskaidecagonal if they banned it *now*.
gollark: You should re-ask.

See also

References
  1. "Historia Cmentarza Powązkowskiego" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  2. "Najsłynniejszy cmentarz Warszawy". Retrieved 9 July 2017.

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