Mirogoj turns 150: All Saints' Day in Zagreb, what to know

Zagreb's central cemetery, Mirogoj, turns 150, and the anniversary falls in the week of All Saints' Day. From 31 October to 6 November panels of an exhibition on its history stand in Aleja Hermana Bolléa, the avenue in front of the cemetery. On Sunday 1 November a strict traffic regime with special buses applies around the city's main cemeteries. That matters for visitors in Zagreb as much as for Croatians from Germany, Austria and Switzerland who come home over the holiday weekend to visit family graves.

Mirogoj officially opened on 6 November 1876, on the former estate of Ljudevit Gaj. From the start it was planned as one shared cemetery for all citizens, whatever their faith. It still has Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim sections. The arcades and the Church of Christ the King were designed by the architect Hermann Bollé (Gradska groblja; on the founding see also a study on Hrčak). In 2021 the historic complex was put on the list of the seven most endangered heritage sites in Europe (Gradska groblja).

An exhibition in three places

The exhibition 'Mirogoj: 150 godina sjećanja' (150 years of remembrance) is by Ana Vranić Rob. It is organised by the city cemeteries company with the Zagreb City Museum and the City of Zagreb. It shows old plans, historic photos and new pictures: how the arcades, church, park and mausoleums were built, plus gravestones, portraits on ceramic and the stonemasons' craft. One part deals with damage from the 2020 earthquake and from storms. Until 29 October it is at the Muzej grada Zagreba, then it moves on:

• 31 October to 6 November: panels in Aleja Hermana Bolléa, right by the cemetery.
• 6 November, the anniversary of the opening: a ceremony in the small hall of the Lisinski concert hall.
• 8 to 22 November: Zrinjevac park in the Lower Town.

All Saints' Day: bus, not car

From 24 October to 2 November the city regulates traffic around the main cemeteries. Until Saturday and on Monday there are only minor restrictions and more buses and trams. On Sunday 1 November only ZET buses, taxis and vehicles with a special permit may drive in the cemetery zones; Miroševac cemetery is open to ZET vehicles only that day. From 08:00 to 19:00 special bus lines run from key points in the city to Mirogoj, Miroševac and Markovo Polje, and trams run to a reinforced timetable. The city publishes the exact lines on zagreb.hr (Gradska groblja).

All city cemeteries are open from 06:00 to midnight on 31 October and on 1 and 2 November. From 3 November until the end of March the winter hours of 07:30 to 18:00 apply. For people with reduced mobility a van runs a loop on Mirogoj about every 15 minutes from 07:00 to 17:00, plus electric carts from 08:00 to 16:00. Both are free.

What it means for visitors

• If you want to see Mirogoj as a sight, it stays open until midnight over the holiday weekend. On 1 November, though, the cemetery is full of families at the graves. Keep your voice down and do not photograph mourners.
• On Sunday come by bus or tram: cars cannot get through to the cemetery.
• From 3 November Mirogoj closes at 18:00. Plan the arcades for early afternoon, as it gets dark early in November.
• The exhibition is outdoors: until 6 November in the avenue in front of the cemetery, then from 8 to 22 November on Zrinjevac in the city centre.
• Driving down for the long weekend? Since 1 November Croatia requires lights by day. Roadworks on the way are in our story on the A2 near Krapina, queue times in the guide to border crossings.

Zagreb stays worth the trip through November: the Mimara Museum reopens on 7 November (Mimara), the Interliber book fair runs from 10 to 15 November, and Advent in Zagreb starts on 28 November. More on the city on our Zagreb page.