“Do you dare to tread where secrets sleep?” That’s the question this place whispers. Right here lies Hřbitov chovanců Ústavu pro choromyslné v Bohnicích. It is one of Prague’s most enigmatic sites. This is a journey into the shadows of history.
Far from the city’s bustle, this cemetery holds stories of forgotten souls. The Ústavní hřbitov is located about a kilometer northwest of the hospital. It sits on a rocky promontory overlooking the Vltava. Even more strange, there is a pet cemetery right next door.
Established in 1909, alongside the Institute for the Mentally Ill, it served as the final resting place for patients. But even more surprising, it also served as the resting place for the institute’s staff. Imagine that. This peculiar cemetery spans 2.5 hectares. It once featured two entrances on its east and west sides. This made it a throughway of sorts.
During World War I, Italian prisoners of war who died of typhus in the institute’s makeshift military hospital were buried here. Nearly 3,000 people found their final resting place here during that war. Formal burials gradually ceased in the 1950s. In 1963, the cemetery was transferred to the Prague Funeral Service. Officially, burials should have stopped completely. Yet, some headstones suggest clandestine burials continued into the 1970s.
Hřbitov chovanců Ústavu pro choromyslné is shrouded in mystery. Near the southern wall stands a dilapidated mortuary chapel. Some unverified sources claim it was a site for Satanic rituals. Some claim there are graves adorned with Masonic symbols. That has never been confirmed.
Today, Hřbitov chovanců Ústavu pro choromyslné exudes a desolate aura. It resembles a scene from a horror film. It attracts history buffs and those seeking melancholic walks. But it also attracts those drawn to dark forces. Sensitives claim the place is charged with negative energy. They say it ranks among Europe’s most mysterious spots. They advise against lingering here. Yet, some find the cemetery surprisingly positive.
Jiří Vítek, the deputy mayor of Prague 8, spearheaded efforts to clean up the site. As a volunteer, he removed forty tons of waste. Old couches and refrigerators littered the grounds. He also began offering guided tours. Vítek wants to raise awareness of its history and mystery.
The cemetery covers over 25,000 square meters. Besides the ruined chapel, a memorial mound honors World War I victims. Most graves are marked only by grass-covered mounds. A few headstones remain. Relatives rarely claimed the deceased.
More affluent families erected the few headstones that remain at Hřbitov chovanců Ústavu pro choromyslné. They were families who remembered their loved ones. Mental illness carried a stigma. Graves were typically marked with iron tags. These have vanished. Vandalism took its toll.
Interestingly, Hřbitov chovanců Ústavu pro choromyslné has served as a filming location. Miloš Forman’s “Amadeus” filmed the scene of Mozart’s burial in a mass grave here.
Even Margaret Thatcher visited in the 1990s. She had unspecified remains exhumed.
Plans are underway to revitalize Hřbitov chovanců Ústavu pro choromyslné. The goal is to preserve its historical and mysterious charm. The vision involves clearing vegetation and repairing the chapel roof. The aim is to avoid modern interventions like lamps or information boards. The goal is to retain the site’s unique spirit.
As you leave this place, remember the forgotten. Reflect on the mysteries and the lives that history tried to erase.