Museum of Cemetery Art – Old Jewish Cemetery

The Old Jewish Cemetery on Ślężna Street is now a branch of the City Museum of Wrocław and the city’s only surviving necropolis from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The first burial took place here in 1856 and the last in 1942. Around 12,000 gravestones survive across an area of almost 5 hectares.

Walking through the cemetery reveals how the culture of Wrocław’s Jewish community changed over time. Traditional matzevot stand alongside monumental family tombs inspired by architectural styles ranging from historicism to Art Nouveau and modernism. People buried here include historian Heinrich Graetz, botanist Ferdinand Cohn, Ferdinand Lassalle and the parents of Edith Stein. The cemetery was expanded several times while still in use and is now open to visitors as a museum.

This is not a place to rush through. Take time to read the symbols, names and dates, and if possible join one of the museum’s guided tours held on selected Sundays during the season. The paths are uneven and the site is not adapted for visitors with mobility disabilities. Admission to the permanent exhibition is free on Thursdays, but check current opening hours before your visit.