Krematorium Strašnice Crematorium

Krematorium Strašnice, located on Vinohradská street in Prague 10-Vinohrady, is one of two crematories in the capital. Built in a constructive style with clean lines, it stands as a cultural monument since 1964 and serves as a place for funeral ceremonies. It is surrounded by an urn burial ground and is the property of the capital of Prague, operated by the cemetery and funeral services of Prague.

The history of the crematorium dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, when the interest in modernising funeral practices and adopting new cultural standards increased in Czechoslovakia. The first temporary crematorium in Prague was created by modification of the village chapel in Olšanské cemeteries, where the first city cremation took place on 23 November 1921. In 1926, a public architectural competition took place on the new cremation equipment in Vinohrady, won by the constructive design of architect Alois Mezera. Construction under this project was started in 1929 and completed in 1932, when the crematorium was ceremonially opened in the presence of the Mayor of JUDr. Karl Baxy.

Architecturally, the Scarecrow Crematorium is unique in its constructive design with clean lines, which was a new modern tendency during its creation. There is a large ceremonial hall in the building and an attached smaller ceremonial hall (called the Bay Hall), which allows for funeral ceremonies for 80 sitting persons and 500 standing guests. The whole area is surrounded by an urn burial ground, a separate wall from the Vinohradsky cemetery.

During Nazi and communist totalitarianism, thousands of victims of fabricated trials and secret executions were burned in the crematorium. The director of the crematorium František Suchý kept secret records of cremated persons, which made his history dark. After the communist coup in February 1948, the crematorium was brought back to the bodies executed in political processes.

Today, the Scarecrow Crematorium is not only a cultural monument but also a place of memory. In 2017, the honor burial ground of the Second Resistance heroes was discovered on the premises. It is a place that is worth visiting not only for those who are interested in the history of Czech funeral practices, but also for those who want to know the complicated past of this place.

Krematorium Strašnice is an important monument not only to its architecture and history, but also to the important aspects of Czech society. His visit offers a view of the past and the present, which is a valuable experience for anyone interested in history and cultural monuments.