New Jewish Cemetery

The New Jewish Cemetery in Žižkov, Prague, was established in 1891 to relieve the space problem at the Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague. It is about 10 times bigger than the Old Jewish Cemetery and provides space for approximately 100000 graves, therefore having the capacity to serve for a whole century. There is also a specially designated area for urns, though the Jewish tradition does not allow cremation. The cemetery is still in use today and operated by the Jewish Community in Prague. The cemetery is noted for its many art nouveau monuments, among them, two monuments for members of the Perutz family by Jan Kotěra, the monument to artist Max Horb by Jan Stursa in the form of a mourning peacock, and many remarkable works of the decorative and sculptural arts in florid art nouveau style by less well-known artists. One of the more elaborate tombs belongs to the Waldes family; the tomb is decorated with two busts, the last pieces of art made by the important Czech sculptor Josef Václav Myslbek, creator of the Wenceslas Square famous statue of St. Wenceslas. Notable burials: Franz Kafka, Arne Laurin, Arnošt Lustig, Jiří Orten, Ota Pavel.