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 one million people are buried at Powązki.
7-404: The cemetery is often confused with the newer Powązki Military Cemetery , which is located to the north-west of Powązki Cemetery. 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 ,
14-505: A large number involved in the 1920 Battle of Warsaw , the September 1939 Campaign , and the ill-fated 1944 Warsaw Uprising against Nazi Germany . It was founded in 1912 as an annex to the Catholic cemetery, but after Poland regained independence in 1918, it became the state cemetery, where some of the most notable people of the period were buried, regardless of their faith. A large part of
21-414: Is an old military cemetery located in the Żoliborz district, western part of Warsaw , Poland . The cemetery is often confused with the older Powązki Cemetery , known colloquially as "Old Powązki". The Old Powązki cemetery is located to the south-east of the military cemetery. The military cemetery holds the graves of many who have fought and died for their country since the early 19th century, including
28-566: The cemetery are several mass graves of (mostly unknown) civilian victims of the German terror during World War II, especially during the Warsaw Uprising. There are mass graves of political prisoners executed during the Stalinist period, which lie under the graves of Communist figures. It took a change in the law to enable researchers to begin the recovery of these remains. As of August 2015, that work
35-620: The cemetery is occupied by graves of Polish soldiers who died in the Warsaw Uprising . Most of the graves were exhumed between 1945 and 1953 from the streets of Warsaw. In many cases, the names of the soldiers remain unknown, and the graves are marked only by the Polish Red Cross identification number. Until the early 1950s, brothers-in-arms of many dead soldiers organised exhumations of their colleagues on their own, and there are many quarters where soldiers of specific units are buried. Also in
42-731: 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 . A few of the notables buried here are: Pow%C4%85zki Military Cemetery Powązki Military Cemetery ( Polish pronunciation: [pɔˈvɔ̃skʲi] ; Polish : Cmentarz Wojskowy na Powązkach )
49-595: 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
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