All Saints Day at Mirogoj Cemetery in Zagreb, Croatia

November 1 is a public holiday in Croatia, and many take the opportunity on All Saints Day to visit the graves of their departed loved ones. Zagreb has one of the most spectacular cemeteries in Europe, and Mirogoj on November 1 is a special place to visit.
My favourite time to visit is in the afternoon before it gets dark to take in the atmosphere and then to watch as the candles take centre stage as night falls. There is free public transport from the centre, and the day is a social one, in addition to remembering the departed loved ones. Popcorn and roasted chestnuts do a roaring trade at the entrance to the cemetery.
Mirogoj is extremely well-maintained, and many families come before All Saints Day to tidy up the graves for the big day. And I have lost count of the times I have heard people say they are lost in the dark looking for their loved ones. The paths are straight and it is extremely well-ordered, but it is huge.
I like the fact that Mirogoj is open to all faiths, and there are a number of people of Jewish, Othodox and other faiths buried there. There is also Holy Mass on All Saints Day, which was very well attended. And as darkness falls, the candles take over - it is a beautiful and peaceful sight.
One of the most prominent graves is that of modern Croatia's first president, Dr Franjo Tudjman, who is well remembered each year.

[@senkasestan5790]

Being born in Australia, we never really had many loved ones buried here (my parents immigrated in the 60's) , and although we kept All Saints Day special by going to mass and lighting a candle for our loved ones overseas, the busyness of life didn't really permit anything more...It wasn't until I lived in Croatia that i truly appreciated the meaning and beauty of this special day. It became one of my most loved holidays, (on par with Christmas and Easter). A comforting - almost magical ambience surrounds this religious holiday, where the whole city (it seems) comes to the cemetery, meets family and friends, and takes time to remember their loved ones as well as to pay respect to those they didn't know, by lighting a lantern or saying a prayer. The entire cemetery is lit up in a warm glow and it is reassuring to think that even when someone is no longer here, they are remembered. I would always take visitors to Mirogoj to show them how beautiful this cemetery is. No that I'm back living in Australia I always wistfully remember going to Mirogoj on All Saints Day, just as it would be getting dark and the winter chill would set in, peoples breath rising like foggy smoke from a chimney. Walking up from the tram stop, buying roasted chestnuts along the way and carrying lanterns to light for loved ones and others. Thank you for showing this!

[@PaulBradbury]

Glad you enjoyed - it really is a special atmosphere

[@SculptExpress-gv8jp]

Beautiful! It’s nice to have that after life connection, that one day in the year to honor the departed. And I love that it’s a communal event. People actually run into friends and acquaintancs, families have dinner together. Life and death - arm in arm together.

[@PaulBradbury]

Yes, it has a real community feel. Fantastic to observe as an outsider.

[@IggyWhite]

@@PaulBradbury 20 years living here and still calling yourself an outsider? That's... strange.

[@dominikturk1159]

Odličan kratki dokumentarac. I really love how here a day about the dead actually makes a lot of places feel alive. Everyone always talks about the Mexican All Saints day but I feel like our version is equally as rich in culture and tradition.

[@Ana-385]

Respecting deceased ancestors is one of the things that makes family important to a person. Due to the large number of people at the cemeteries on that day, you have the opportunity to meet people you rarely meet and to mention those who are no longer among the living so that they continue to live in our hearts and minds. People are really dead only when there is no one alive to remember them. Paul, thanks for Your work!

[@PaulBradbury]

Tx - it is a really great atmosphere

[@smimtiaz4556]

Ame🤲en

[@ZigZag_SE]

Thank You for another great report :)

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha tx

[@whoami8507]

The sight of Krematorij in general, but especially on November the 1st is the one to behold ❤️

[@PaulBradbury]

Totally agree

[@AzeeMooth]

If you think this cemetery is beautiful you should go and visit Varazdin cemetery. I will just leave it at that. Btw, love your reports .

[@PaulBradbury]

I lived in Varazdin for 5 years and agree. The cemetery there is spectacular.

[@AzeeMooth]

@@PaulBradbury wow wonderful.. we live in the UK but my family comes from Ivanec. Truly enjoy your videos. Keep going

[@maxcorvus1174]

There is also another cemetery in Zagreb and it's called St. George's Cemetery or Jurjevsko groblje. It is now a park, but you can still see the old, crumbling monuments and headstones. Definitely worth a visit.

[@PaulBradbury]

Ah didn't know that, thanks - where is it exactly?

[@zagrepcanin82]

@@PaulBradbury it is above Cmrok if you know where that is....if you would go at Jurjevska street and before the crossroad with Gornje Prekrižje on the right side there is a turn to get there. be aware though...there is a haunted house near by and some very weird things are reported to happened on that cemetary

[@zagrepcanin82]

@@PaulBradbury perhaps I am mistaken...search on street map Tuškanac--Jurjevska junction.i think it is still Tuškanac and Gornje Prekrižje follows on to it

[@zagrepcanin82]

@@PaulBradbury and there are two more large cemeteries Markovo polje on the northern side of Sesvete....toward Medvednica...and Miroševac which is above Dubrava

[@cetterus]

@@zagrepcanin82 And many more. Smaller ones. And really small ones. Sestine, Vrapce, Cucerje, there's even tiny one in bushes close to City center One, West (Adventists cemetery, but I might be wrong). There's tombstone of little Paul David von Vakanovich in Demetrova... so many interesting things to find out. I've read an article about this but can't find it anymore.

[@anamarijasolje9052]

Molim te Paul nemoj to govoriti da slavimo smrt, to je tako pogrešno! Mi slavimo zivot i život onih koji su preminuli. Pozdrav

[@PaulBradbury]

Good point, thanks for pointing out

[@glavatazelva]

Unfortunately, the Zagreb City Cemetery app does not work and cannot be downloaded. 😢

[@From-Dehradun]

What's the process n regulations for Payment residence in Croatia for the workers from Asian Nations.

[@dominikturk1159]

Odličan kratki dokumentarac. I really love how here a day about the dead actually makes a lot of places feel alive. Everyone always talks about the Mexican All Saints day but I feel like our version is equally as rich in culture and tradition.

[@PaulBradbury]

Thank you, and yes, I agree with you.