WDEC 2026 at the City cemetery "Pri Sv. Duhu"

City Cemetery “Pri Sv. Duhu” in Koprivnica, Croatia, marked WDEC 2026 with an educational walk for high school students and a new promotional video.

City cemetery promotional video

As part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC), held from 22 to 31 May 2026 and organized by the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe (ASCE), the City Cemetery “Pri Sv. Duhu” in Koprivnica, managed by Komunalac LLC, once again took part in this significant annual event. As a member of ASCE, the Koprivnica cemetery promotes the value of cemeteries as places of cultural heritage, history, art, and memory through its activities.

On this occasion, a new promotional video about the city cemetery was produced. Cemeteries are much more than places of remembrance – they are open-air museums and guardians of local history, architecture, and cultural heritage. Through this video, Komunalac LLC invites visitors to take a walk through the cemetery and discover its peace, artistic value, and the stories of notable individuals who have shaped our city. You can watch the video HERE.

Educational walk for students

This year’s event theme focuses on knowledge and quality education for young people, with the aim of introducing them to cultural heritage, history and important people through an interesting and student-friendly approach.

As part of the program, an educational walk through the city cemetery was held on May 28, 2026, with the participation of first-grade students from the “Fran Galović” General High School, accompanied by their class teacher Mišela Lokotar and history teacher Maja Maček Trešcec. The educational tour was led by cemetery manager Josipa Loinjak and horticultural engineer Nataša Njegovec along a pre-planned route designed for high school students.

Learning about heritage and sustainability

During the tour, the students learned about the history of the cemetery and its significance for the local community, as well as interesting facts about notable individuals and important historical events. They also explored the cemetery’s landscape, horticultural, and architectural values. Special emphasis was placed on raising awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage and respecting spaces of memory.

In addition to the educational content, the students had the opportunity to learn about the cemetery’s new, more advanced waste separation system, which helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and increases the share of recyclable materials.

WDEC 2025 in Koprivnica, Croatia

As part of the WDEC 2025, Komunalac LLC Koprivnica has joined the international "Peace Tree Project", which encourages the planting of "trees of peace" in European cemeteries.

About the event

The ASCE "Peace Tree Project" stands out as a symbol of European solidarity and a shared commitment to preserving spaces of memory and peace. The purpose of the project is to plant a "peace tree" in as many different European cemeteries as possible.

On May 29, 2025, a plane tree was planted at the City Cemetery of Koprivnica, as a symbol of life and growth, which over the years will provide shelter, shade, and silence to all who come in peace, memory and respect.

The planting was attended by Dubravka Horvat, a member of the Komunalac Management Board; Tanja Vukušić, Director of the Sector of Green Areas, Cemeteries and Markets; and Robertina Zdjelar, Director of the Finance, Accounting, Controlling and EU Project Sector, who was joined by her colleagues. Together, they symbolically contributed to the message of peace and unity that this tree conveys.

The plane tree was chosen for its symbolism of longevity, strength, and togetherness. Beside the seedling, a plaque was placed bearing the universal message of the project: “Live in peace to rest in peace!” This powerful message reminds us of the importance of peace, tolerance and reconciliation in everyday life, and encourages us to reflect on the values we pass on to future generations.

As part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2025, Komunalac LLC has also created a digital information brochure to mark the occasion. It can be accessed via the link below.

➤ Digital brochure - WDEC 2025

WDEC 2023 in Koprivnica

On 1 June 2023, an educational walk was held at the City cemetery "Pri Svetom Duhu" in Koprivnica, Croatia, as part of this year's WDEC.

Educational walk

During the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2023, the Municipal Utility Company Komunalac LLC Koprivnica, in cooperation with the Historical Society of Koprivnica, organized an educational walk through the City cemetery "Pri Svetom Duhu" in Koprivnica. The goal was to raise awareness of the importance of cemeteries, their architectural solutions, artistic monuments, and historical facts related to the emergence and development of graves and customs in the cemetery.

The educational walk was held on June 1st, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., by Komunalac and the historian Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sc. Hrvoje Petrić. During the walk, several grave sites were shown that are specific in terms of cultural or historical significance.

Dr. Petrić gave a short lecture on the centuries-old development of the City and the creation of Koprivnica cemeteries in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, and then the educational walk through the cemetery began. Family tombs, chapels and mausoleums are the last resting place of famous people from Koprivnica and are the last witnesses of their existence.

This manifestation was a unique opportunity for the citizens of the city of Koprivnica to get acquainted with the rich history, high artistic, cultural and anthropological works hidden in the City cemetery "Pri Svetom Duhu", and to learn or remember the generations that built this city through this segment of life.

Cemetery brochure

As part of the WDEC 2023, Komunalac created and published a short brochure on the history of the city cemetery, its famous monuments and people buried there. The brochure also provides citizens with useful information about the cemetery's opening hours, contacts and additional information.

The brochure was published on the company's website as well as on social networks.

You can see and download the brochure HERE.

WDEC 2022, Exhibition and educational walk on City cemetery in Koprivnica

A brief summary and photos from the events.

Municipal Utility Company Komunalac LLC Koprivnica, in cooperation with the Koprivnica City Museum, Historical Society of Koprivnica and Art school „Fortunat Pintarić“ Koprivnica, organized events aimed at enhancing the heritage existing on the City cemetery "Pri Sv. Duhu" in Koprivnica.

The aim of this event is to raise awareness of the importance of cemeteries, their architectural solutions, artistic monuments and historical facts related to the emergence and development of graves.

Exhibition of photographs, sketches and items

The program began on Wednesday, June 1, at 13.00, in front of the old morgue in the City Cemetery, with the opening of the exhibition of photographs, sketches and items named “Stories of life and death” in the space of an old morgue. The opening ceremony was enhanced by the musical accompaniment of Art School Fortunat Pintarić.

After the opening, the exhibition was visited by students of the high school „Fran Galović“ Koprivnica with their history teacher.

The other days were dedicated to individual visits and a visit to the cemetery where all citizens and tourists can view the exhibition of photographs.

Educational walk on the cemetery

On June 2, at 15.00 Historical Society of Koprivnica with the historian, prof.dr.sc. Hrvoje Petric, held an educational walk and a visit to the cemetery during which 13 graves were displayed, specific to their cultural or historical significance.

A brief lecture on the multicultural development of the City and the emergence of the city cemetery, Dr. Petrić held in the chapel “Pri Sv. Duhu” and then began an educational walk through the graveyard.

At the end of the educational walk through the city cemetery, visitors visited the photo exhibition “Stories of life and death” in the space of an old morgue.

Photos from the events

WDEC 2022 in Koprivnica

The program on the occasion of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2022 at City cemetery "Pri Sv. Duhu" in Koprivnica, Croatia.

During the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2022, the Municipal Utility Company Komunalac LLC Koprivnica, in cooperation with the Koprivnica City Museum, Historical Society of Koprivnica and Art school „Fortunat Pintarić“ Koprivnica, organizes events aimed at enhancing the heritage existing on the City cemetery "Pri Sv. Duhu" in Koprivnica. The goal is to raise awareness of the importance of cemeteries, their architectural solutions, artistic monuments and historical facts related to the emergence and development of graves and customs in the cemetery.

The program of this year's WDEC in Koprivnica begins on Wednesday, June 1, at 13.00, in front of the old morgue in the City Cemetery. As part of the program will be set up an exhibition of photographs, sketches and items named “Stories of life and death” by Koprivnica City Museum. The exhibition will be open until June 3, 2022. The opening ceremony will be enhanced by the musical accompaniment of Art School Fortunat Pintarić.

On June 2, at 15.00, Historical Society of Koprivnica with the historian prof.dr.sc. Hrvoje Petric will take an educational walk through the old part of city cemetery.

Program

WEDNESDAY, 1. 6. 2022.

At 13.00

• Opening ceremony, presentation of the City cemetery "Pri Sv. Duhu“
• Opening of the exhibition of photographs, sketches and items named “Stories of life and death” by Koprivnica City Museum - in the space of an old morgue
• Music program: Art School Fortunat Pintarić Koprivnica

THURSDAY, 2. 6. 2022

At 15.00

• Educational walk and acquaintance with the cemetery and resumes of the most famous persons buried on it "History in the open“ with the historian izv.prof. dr. sc. Hrvoje Petric
• Opened exhibition of photographs, sketches and items named “Stories of life and death” by Koprivnica City Museum.- in the space of an old morgue

FRIDAY, 3. 6. 2022

• Individual visits to the cemetery
• Opened exhibition of photographs, sketches and items named “Stories of life and death” by Koprivnica City Museum - in the space of an old morgue

City cemetery "Pri Svetom Duhu" (Koprivnica, Croatia)

On November 18th , 2016, the cemetery, along with associated buildings and landscaping, received the status of a cultural good.

About the cemetery

The City cemetery "Pri Svetom Duhu" in Koprivnica includes the Holly Spirit Chapel, old and new mortuary, a central cross, the cross for fallen soldiers (employees of Podravka) and the Memorial to those killed in World War II.

The oldest written record that mentions the cemetery in the central part of the town Koprivnica is from 1607. At that time, the cemetery was placed within the fortress near the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the area near the present church of St. Nicholas).

Central town cemetery was later located next to the St. Lucy’s Chapel (the area of today’s hospital) and was intended for the citizens of the Koprivnica fortress and those outside the fort wall. The St. Lucy’s Chapel is first mentioned in 1650.

In the early 1800s, more and more houses were built around the Chapel and the cemetery, so Pastor Adam Žuvić suggested the abandonment of the cemetery and relocation to the cemetery next to the Holy Spirit Chapel. This was executed in 1845 but soon the Chapel was abandoned and after 1850 it was knocked down. A new Holy Spirit Chapel, which still exists in the city cemetery today, was then built in 1873. Thus, Koprivnica had a new central cemetery during the second half of the 19th century around the Holy Spirit Chapel, which is still in function today. 

The cemetery was considerably expanded in 1869 but not arranged. The town gardener Dragutin Ruhl started arranging the cemetery greenery in the 1890s. Today’s horticultural appearance of the cemetery is the work of the town grave-digger Ivan Maček. Τhe cemetery was characterised by the Ministry of Culture as preservable, because it possesses elaborate decorations and consists of works of unique artistic value.

In 2003 the revitalisation of the cemetery greenery has started, which was conducted in cooperation with the Conservation Department at the Ministry of Culture. On November 18th, 2016, the cemetery, along with associated buildings and landscaping, received the status of a cultural good.

Significant personalities at the cemetery

Many significant names from the Koprivnica history are connected with the city cemetery, such as: family Šemper, Vargović, Sulimanović and Malančec, Leander Brozović, Đuro Ester, Božena Loborec, Đuro Sudeta, Vinko Vošicki and Zlata Bartl.

Basic data

Number of graves: 6.685 graves (over 9,000 registered burial sites)
Cemetery size: 77.000 m2 in use + 12.600 m2 in phase of development altogether 89.600 m2
Cemetery type: Municipal, civil and military cemetery

Contact

Ms. Maja Hleb
CEO Komunalac LLC Koprivnica

Email: maja.hleb@komunalac-kc.hr
Phone: 00385-48-251-808