As we head to Mirogoj to light candles for our loved ones, we pass by two forgotten cemeteries. What is now Radićevo šetalište was once the site of the Tomaševo and Vojničko (Military) cemeteries.
Tomaševo Cemetery, located next to St. Thomas’s chapel, was opened in 1786 after the cemetery in Nova Ves was closed. It was also known by two other names – Novoveško, because local residents used it for burial, and Bogečko, a name linked to the burial of the poor. Both local residents and the poor were buried free of charge, while everyone else had to pay a burial fee.
Next to it was Vojničko Cemetery, also known as Soldačko Cemetery. Soldiers were most often buried without a coffin, wrapped in straw that was tied around the neck, chest, and legs.
As the city expanded, the location of both cemeteries became unsuitable. They were officially closed in 1879 after Mirogoj was opened.
For more information, see The Forgotten Cemeteries of Zagreb (2023).
Text and photographs: Petra Rajić Šikanjić
