Cemetry on Zelena street

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14.05.23

 11.45-14.00

100 грн.
person

A brief overview of the excursion

Historical and cultural reserve "The Cemetery on Zelena Street" in Chernivtsi is among the top-10 most mystical cemeteries in Ukraine. Keeping the pages of history, the necropolis literally "breathes" the secrets.

The Christian cemetery, together with the Jewish cemetery, form one great monument of the city's history. The area of ​​the Christian necropolis is over 20 hectares. Many family tombs are considered as examples of monumental art and have great significant value. 

In particular, the tomb of the Kohanovsky family, where is buried the long-standing mayor of Chernivtsi, the honorary citizen of the city Anton Kohanovsky, the tombstone at the tomb of Lazar Mikhajlovich (the philanthropist, who provided funds for the construction of the "Pieta monument" on the Central square of the city and bequeathed the scholarships for talented pupils), the tomb of the townspeople Knysh family (consisting of several beautiful figures), the tomb of doctor Zalozetsky, and others. 

Among the other graves, it is worth mentioning the place of bury of Olga Kobylianska and Yurij Fedkovych. The chapel of the Bykovynian Metropolitans is also a historic value of the necropolis.

The first burials were recorded here in the early 19th century, though Christian cemetery was officially opened in 1866. But most parts of the necropolis-reserve has not yet been explored.

The Jewish Cemetery on Zelena Street in Chernivtsi is one of the largest old Jewish cemeteries in Central and Eastern Europe. The area of this museum status necropolis is more than 14 hectares. Nearly 50,000 members of the Jewish community of Chernivtsi are buried here. Among them are public, political figures, writers, poets, intellectuals, those who have made significant contributions to the political, economic and cultural life of the city.

The decrees of the Austrian Emperor Joseph II contributed to the successful development of the Jewish community in Chernivtsi. At the end of the 18th century, he was the first ruler in Europe who abolished all restrictions on Jewish commerce to encourage members of the community to be engaged in crafts and trades, to equalize the rights of all denominations, to identify relations between Jews and non-Jews. This prompted many Jews to move to Bukovina in general and Chernivtsi in particular. As a result, in 1866, a Jewish cemetery was established by the decision of the municipality on Zelena Street in Chernivtsi.

Among the historical and architectural monuments on the cemetery, there is a ceremonial building, which was built in the early 20th century with the project made by architect Frunkel, the tomb the first mayor of Chernivtsi Edward Rice, Jewish poet Eliezer Steinberg, leader of the Jewish community Benno Straucher and other prominent Jews. Most of these objects are awaiting restoration.

Also on the cemetery are the graves of Jewish soldiers of the First World War (1914-1918) and victims of the Holocaust.

The unique variety of styles and forms of burial structures, combined with Jewish ornaments and symbols, attracts many tourists from around the world every year.