WDEC 2026 in Lithuania

Highlights from the guided walks at historic cemeteries in Lithuania that were held as part of Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026.

About the Event

As part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026, the Cultural Heritage Department under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania organized several educational guided walks across Lithuanian cemeteries. Aligned with this year's global emphasis on quality education, these initiatives successfully highlighted Lithuania's historic burial grounds not merely as places of mourning, but as open-air museums rich in architectural, historical, and regional heritage.

Guided Walks at the Historic Cemeteries of Vilnius

In the capital city of Vilnius, the public was invited to explore some of the country's most significant historic cemeteries. Led by historian Vida Girininkienė, a series of three specialized educational walks took place at Rasos Cemetery and Antakalnis Cemetery:

• 27 May 2026 | Educational walk “Historical Rasos”
• 28 May 2026 | Educational walk “Artistic Rasos”
• 29 May 2026 | Educational walk “Antakalnis Cemetery: Historical Cross-Sections”

Guided Walk at Panevėžys Old Cemetery

In northern Lithuania, an educational event took place in Panevėžys on 28 May 2026. The event began in the education hall of the Panevėžys Local Lore Museum, featuring introductory greetings from the head of the division, Rasuolė Kerbedienė, and specialized presentations by cultural heritage experts Indrė Baliulytė and Rasa Visockaitė.

Following the presentations, museum historians Dr. Arūnas Astramskas and Jūratė Gaidelienė led an interactive educational walk at the Panevėžys Old Cemetery (also known as the St. Peter and Paul Parish Cemetery) entitled “Memory in Cemeteries: Personal or Public?” During the walk, they guided participants through the distinctive local funerary art and regional history of the site.

Event Highlights

For more details, visit the organizers' website.

Some highlights from the guided walks at Panevėžys Old Cemetery and Antakalnis Cemetery in Vilnius can be seen in the videos below.

WDEC 2026 tour and performance at the Monumental Cemetery of Turin

Highlights of the WDEC 2026 guided tour and live student performance honoring civilian war victims at the Monumental Cemetery of Turin on 5 June 2026.

About the event

On Friday, 5 June 2026, the Monumental Cemetery of Turin hosted a special event as part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC) 2026 and Archivissima 2026. The event was organised by AFC Torino S.p.A. in collaboration with the National Association of Civilian War Victims (ANVCG) and the Historical Archive and Cultural Heritage Office of the Waldensian Board.

Guided Tour

Starting at 5:30 PM, the programme featured a guided tour titled “La ______ mancante. Perdite e lacune nelle storie delle vittime civili di guerra” (“The Missing ______. Losses and gaps in the stories of civilian war victims”). Led by Federica Tammarazio, a prominent art historian and archivist, the tour explored themes of memory, archival gaps and the stories of civilian victims of war, in line with Archivissima’s 2026 core topic, “Quello che non c’è” (“What is not there”).

Live Performance

The historical exploration concluded with a powerful emotional impact at the Campo della Gloria (Field of Glory). Students from the Liceo Coreutico Teatrale Germana Erba delivered a moving live performance. Using the universal languages of dance and theater, the young artists brought the archival narratives to life, giving voice to those who could no longer speak and transforming historical memory into a vibrant call for peace.

You can watch the full performance in the video below.

WDEC 2026 at the Lower Cemetery of Volintiri

On 26 May 2026, a special guided walk for local students took place at the Lower Cemetery of Volintiri (Moldova), focusing on education, memory and local history.

A guided walk for local pupils

As part of WDEC 2026, the Volintiri Municipality and the “Maria Biesu” local school organised a special guided walk for students at the Lower Cemetery of Volintiri on 26 May 2026. Bringing together education, local heritage and community memory, the activity invited pupils to explore the graves of local teachers and reflect on the lasting role of educators in shaping local identity, values and history.

At the cemetery, pupils discovered that local heritage is not only preserved in books, but also in places that keep the community’s memory alive. Guided by two local teachers—Ms Angela Tih (school director) and Mr Stepan Efremov (history teacher)—the group walked from one grave to another, focusing on the resting places of educators and school staff who shaped generations in Volintiri.

The visit was designed as a learning journey. At each stop, pupils were encouraged to listen, ask questions and reflect: What does a teacher leave behind? How do schools and families carry values forward? How does a village remember those who served it? These discussions naturally connected education with identity and civic responsibility, showing that “quality education” is also about respect, gratitude and continuity.

From remembrance to action

A key moment of the activity focused on preserving memory. We talked about the importance of maintaining teachers’ graves, especially those who no longer have relatives able to care for them, as well as renewing a local tradition of visiting these places with pupils to clean and maintain them. In this way, remembrance becomes action and offers pupils a practical lesson in community responsibility.

To extend learning beyond the cemetery visit, pupils were encouraged to continue the conversation at home by starting with a simple question: “What does the word cemetery mean?” This helped connect school learning with family dialogue, strengthening intergenerational understanding of local history and heritage.

Through this activity, the Lower Cemetery became more than a place of remembrance—it became a meaningful learning space where education meets memory, and where pupils can see how local history is preserved through people, places and shared responsibility.

Photos from the event

*Photos source: www.facebook.com/PrimariaVolintiri

WDEC 2026 at Vienna Central Cemetery

Discover the programme of activities taking place during WDEC 2026 at Vienna’s Central Cemetery in Austria under the motto “What really matters in the end?”.

What really matters in the end?

During the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026, Bestattung Wien and Friedhöfe Wien are hosting a series of events centred on saying goodbye, remembrance and living forms of commemoration, taking place from 26 to 30 May 2026.

What remains of a person? What do we remember today, tomorrow and many years from now? Under the motto “What really matters in the end?”, this themed week is dedicated to the core of their work – dignified farewells, remembrance and the continuation of stories. The focus is on what truly matters to people in the end, which is making remembrance possible, whether through rituals that provide comfort or places where grief, love and connection can find their place.

Visitors can expect a wide range of events addressing topics such as end-of-life planning, bereavement support, places of remembrance and new ways of saying goodbye.

Renate Niklas, Managing Director of Friedhöfe Wien GmbH, emphasises: “Cemeteries are spaces of remembrance. They give people the opportunity to commemorate, to pass on life stories and to feel a sense of closeness, even when someone is missing. With this themed week, we are showcasing this diversity and highlighting the special role of cemeteries as places of encounter right in the heart of the city.”

Jürgen Sild, Managing Director of Bestattung Wien GmbH, emphasises the social aspect: “We support people during difficult times in their lives and are responsible for ensuring that farewells are conducted with dignity and in a contemporary manner. As part of the Wiener Stadtwerke Group, we see ourselves not merely as service providers, but as a central point of contact for all matters relating to farewells, bereavement and death, in the spirit of providing comprehensive public services.”

All events are free of charge; for some, registration is required due to limited capacity.

Programme

➤ May 26 to 30 | Exhibition opening: As in Heaven – Europe’s Impressive Domed Vaults

At the Church of St Borromeo at Vienna’s Central Cemetery, the exhibition “As in Heaven” by photographer Gerd W. Götzenbrucker offers a new perspective on the perception of sacred architecture. The focus is on large-format photographs of impressive European church domes. The dome of the cemetery church is presented as an integral part of the exhibition.

Event Details:

• Date and time: May 26 to 30, 2026, daily from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Location: Church of St Borromeo at the Central Cemetery (Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, 1110 Vienna)
• More info: WIE IM HIMMEL – KREATIVBÜRO FRISCHESGRAS

➤ May 26 | Guided Tour: Graves of Honour at Vienna’s Central Cemetery – “Noble, poor or rich, death makes us all equal”

This tour offers deep insights into Vienna’s Central Cemetery. Participants will discover its origins, organization, and the daily working life of Europe’s second-largest cemetery. The walk highlights its unique art and architecture, alongside fascinating stories of well-known figures from politics, art, and culture who have found their final resting place here.

Event Details:

• Date and time: May 26, 2026, starting at 12:30 PM
• Starting point: Central Cemetery, Gate 2 (Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, 1110 Vienna)

➤ May 26 | Lecture: Farewell in Vienna – Funerals and Cemeteries

A bereavement is always an emotionally challenging situation. Vienna Funeral Services and Vienna Cemeteries provide information on how to make funeral arrangements. In addition to funeral planning, the lecture covers topics such as organising a funeral service, the first steps to take following a death, and the variety of grave types available, ranging from traditional coffin graves to urn and natural graves.

Event Details:

• Date and time: May 26, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
• Location: PVÖ Ottakring District Organisation (Koppstraße 100, 1160 Vienna)
• Organizers: Vienna Funeral Services and Vienna Cemeteries

➤ May 27 | Keynote Talk & Panel Discussion: Near-death & Near-death Experiences

This event features a keynote lecture titled “Near-Death & Near-Death Experiences” by Prof. Dr Roland Sedivy (pathologist, medical law expert). It is followed by a moderated panel discussion with Prof. Dr Rotraud Perner (psychotherapist/psychoanalyst, Protestant theologian), Brigitte Guschlbauer (author), Mag. Jan Sokora (Catholic priest, rector of St. Charles Borromeo Church at the Central Cemetery), Prof. Dr Roland Sedivy (pathologist, medical law expert), exploring medical, spiritual, and psychological perspectives on what happens at the threshold of life and death. Moderator: Alwin Schönberger (head of the science section at the news magazine “profil”), 

Event Details:

• Date and time: May 27, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
• Location: Simmering Crematorium Cemetery, Crematorium Room 4 (Simmeringer Hauptstraße 337, 1110 Vienna)

➤ May 28 | VHS Educational Walk: The Circular Economy of Life and Death

How can a space dedicated to farewell also become a hub for welcome transformation? This educational walk, part of the "Circular (Economy) in Motion" series, explores the Vienna Central Cemetery as a fascinating setting for uninterrupted life cycles. Participants will enjoy a guided tour of the Funeral Museum and a guided tour of the cemetery grounds focusing on how modern circular economy principles are applied to cemetery operations, resource conservation, and wildlife habitats.

From resource-conserving day-to-day management to burial practices that blend tradition with sustainability, this tour offers a forward-looking perspective. It is particularly suitable for those interested in lived sustainability, the practicalities of cemetery work, and the uniquely Viennese sense of humor surrounding burial culture.

Event Details:

• Date and time: May 28, 2026, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
• Starting point: VHS Simmering (Gottschalkgasse 10, 1110 Vienna)
• End point: Vienna Central Cemetery (Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, 1110 Vienna)
• Organizers: Vienna Adult Education Centres (VHS), in cooperation with Friedhöfe Wien GmbH and Bestattung Wien
• Cost: Free of charge (ages 18+)

NOTE: Part of the route uses public transport.

➤ May 29 | Fire Celebration: Exclusive Guided Tours of the Vienna Crematorium

Under the guiding question "What truly matters in the end?", Friedhöfe Wien and Bestattung Wien present an exclusive guided tour of the Vienna Crematorium. These tours aim to demystify the cremation process and provide educational insights into what happens behind the scenes, from technical facilities and safety measures to fire safety.

In a space where grief, love, and connection are given room to breathe, these tours address the core of dignified farewells. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the infrastructure and rituals that provide support to the living while honoring the stories of those who have passed.

Event Details:

• Date and time: May 29, 2026, at 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM (tours last approx. 1.5 hours)
• Location: Main entrance, Feuerhalle Simmering Cemetery (Simmeringer Hauptstraße 337, 1110 Vienna)
• Organizer: Friedhöfe Wien GmbH
• Cost: Free of charge (ages 10+)
• Tours language: German

NOTE: Maximum 25 people per tour. Registration required via post@friedhoefewien.at. When registering, kindly indicate your preferred time slot. Participation is only valid once a confirmation has been received.

➤ May 29 | Mourning Café & Designing a Nature-Inspired Memorial Site

No one understands grief better than those who are grieving themselves. The Bereavement Café offers an opportunity to connect and share experiences with people who are currently going through the same thing, supported by Caritas bereavement counsellors. 

Additionally, a special memorial activity takes place at the new natural burial site “Flower Meadow Graves”. There is a large deadwood hedge which can be decorated with flowers. People from the Grief Café and beyond are invited to drop by and decorate the deadwood hedge with flowers as a memorial. The flowers can be collected from the Phönix cafeteria from 9.00 am. 

Event Details:

• Date and time: May 29, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM (Flower collection and hedge decorating starts from 9:00 AM)
• Location: Cafeteria Phönix (Simmeringer Hauptstraße 337, 1110 Vienna – next to the crematorium at Simmering Cemetery)
• Organizers: Bestattung Wien in cooperation with the Caritas Bereavement Support Centre

➤ May 30 | Guided Tour: Natural Burial in the Vienna Woods

More and more people are opting for a natural urn burial where the ashes return to the cycle of nature. The “Waldesruh” forest cemetery near Breitenfurt in the Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve offers exactly that. Stefanie Balog-Rueber from Green City Vienna and an expert from Bestattung Wien will guide you through the woodland cemetery, explaining everything about natural burials and introducing the local flora and fauna of the Vienna Woods.

Event Details:

• Date and time: May 30, 2026
• Location: “Waldesruh” woodland cemetery (near Breitenfurt, Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve)
• Guides: Stefanie Balog-Rueber (Green City Vienna) and an expert from Bestattung Wien

Additional Information

For further details regarding the described activities or to access the full programme of events, please utilize the contact information and resources provided below.

• Contact person: Julia Stering
• Email: kommunikation@friedhoefewien.at
• Phone: 0664 88483282
• Full list of events: www.friedhoefewien.at/schwerpunktwoche-2026

*Photo source: www.friedhoefewien.at

WDEC 2026 in Athens

As part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026, the Municipality of Athens invites visitors to participate in free guided tours at the First and Third Cemetery of Athens.

Programme

➤ 25 May 2026 | 16:00 – 17:30 | First Cemetery of Athens

Guided walk “The Poets’ Graves — The Greek Language Engraved in Memory”

A special guided walk through the graves of poets and writers at the First Cemetery of Athens, where literature encounters public memory and funerary inscriptions become precious traces of the Greek language through time.

The tour approaches the cemetery as an open cultural landscape and as a unique “anthology” of inscriptions: from archaic expressions and learned epitaphs to deeply moving dedications, personal testimonies, and even unexpected moments of subtle humour. Through monuments, words, and the stories attached to them, participants will explore the many forms of the Greek language, as well as the different ways society remembers its men and women of letters.

The route presents the graves of important poets and literary figures, the forms and symbolism of their funerary monuments, as well as the stories and “afterlives” associated with their memory and posthumous reputation.

The activity is addressed to secondary education teachers, within the framework of the blended-learning training programme “Teaching Greek Language and Literature in Lower and Upper Secondary Education.”

➤ 24 May 2026 | 17:00 – 18:30 | Third Cemetery of Athens

Guided tour “Remembrance Route 1940–1944”

A guided tour dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Occupation, famine, executions, and war, presented within the framework of the This is Athens City Festival.

The tour explores the historical landscape of the Third Cemetery of Athens and the traces of World War II preserved within it, highlighting the cemetery’s role as a place of collective memory and historical testimony.

More information is available here: This is Athens City Festival – A Remembrance Route for Those Who Didn’t Make It (1940–1944)

WDEC 2026 at Vestre Cemetery

On 20 May 2026, a unique war history tour will take place at Vestre Cemetery in Oslo (Norway), connecting local lives with global events of World War II.

About the event

Behind the peaceful gates of Vestre Cemetery in the heart of Oslo rest thousands of silent stories from one of humanity's darkest chapters. While everyday city life rushes past outside the fences, a unique opportunity awaits Oslo residents and visitors to connect deeply with the local fates of World War II.

In observance of the International War Graves Week and the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, the Burial and Cremation Agency of Oslo is opening its gates for a special guided war history tour.

The walk is not just a local initiative, but a collaboration between the Burial and Cremation Agency of Oslo, the War Graves Service in Norway, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is responsible for commemorating 1.7 million men and women from Commonwealth countries who died in the two World Wars.

The tour will be guided by Haakon Vinje, head of the War Graves Service in Norway under the Ministry of Culture and Equality. His guidance will provide personal and historical context to the graves and the stories they represent. “These graves are more than stones and names; they are physical reminders of the personal sacrifices that lie behind the freedom of our time,” the organizers note.

Event details

• Date and time: Wednesday, May 20 at 5:00 PM
• Location: Vestre Cemetery, Oslo
• Meeting Point: Commonwealth War Graves, Section 060 (located centrally within the cemetery)
• Duration: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Admission: free and open to all

WDEC 2026 at the Cemetery of the March Revolution

Explore the history of the 1848 revolution through guided tours at the Cemetery of the March Revolution in Berlin, Germany, on 30–31 May 2026.

About the event

The Cemetery of the March Revolution is a silent witness to one of Berlin’s most turbulent periods. In March 1848, the city rose up against authoritarian rule, demanding constitutional rights, freedom of the press, and social justice. Many of those who lost their lives in the barricade battles were laid to rest here, turning this place into a living monument to their courage and vision.

During this guided tour, we will:

• Uncover the history of the cemetery: Why was it established, and what does it symbolize?
• Meet the revolutionaries: Who were the people buried here, and what did they fight for?
• Explore the legacy of 1848: How did the events of that year shape Berlin and Europe, and what lessons do they hold for us today?

Led by Paul Schmitz, a historian with forum 1848, this tour combines historical insight with personal storytelling. Whether you’re a history buff, a student, or simply curious, this is your chance to connect with a pivotal moment in Berlin’s past.

Dates, location and booking

During the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, two guided walks will take place at the Cemetery of the March Revolution:

• 30 May 2026 at 11:00 am (booking here)
• 31 May 2026 at 4:30 pm (booking here)

This special event is organised by forum 1848. Admission is free, but booking is required.

WDEC 2026 at the Fiumei Road Cemetery

Explore the guided walks taking place at Fiumei Road Cemetery in Budapest during the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026.

23 May 2026 | 1:00 PM

Architectural Values of the Fiumei Road Graveyard – The Mausoleums and the Arcades

The most spectacular architectural landmarks of the Fiumei Road Cemetery are its grand mausoleums and double arcades. Within the framework of the National Pedagogy of Memory Programme, these key attractions are presented to every student group visiting the Fiumei Road Graveyard National Memorial. During the walk, visitors will learn about the lives and legacies of those resting here, as the gates of the Batthyány, Deák, Kossuth, and Ganz mausoleums—usually closed to the public—will be opened.

A unique feature of this programme, prepared specifically for WDEC, is that the tour offers extensive art-historical and architectural insight into the buildings’ symbolism, structural elements, and stylistic features. The walk concludes among the family memorials of the double arcades, which evoke an Italianate atmosphere and were crafted in some of the most renowned stonemasonry workshops of the era.

Details and registration: www.fiumeiutisirkert.nori.gov.hu

29 May 2026 | 3:00 PM

Immortal Art – A Sculpture Walk in the Fiumei Road Graveyard

Strolling through the cemetery feels like wandering through an extraordinary open-air sculpture park, featuring works by some of Hungary’s most celebrated sculptors, including János Fadrusz, György Zala, Miklós Ligeti, and Jenő Bory. Statues often tell stories and possess histories of their own, many of which will be explored during the tour.

We will visit the resting place of Miklós Izsó and commemorate the double anniversary of Alajos Stróbl, born 170 years ago and deceased 100 years ago, a central figure in the artistic life of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Numerous works by Stróbl can be found throughout the cemetery, including the sculptural elements of the Kossuth Mausoleum, the memorial to János Arany, the granite lion of Dezső Szilágyi, and Hungary’s first surviving equestrian statue.

Hungarian Sculpture Day (29 May), marking the anniversary of Miklós Izsó’s death, falls during WDEC week. To celebrate the occasion, we are organising this special walk in the Fiumei Road Graveyard for the first time.

Details and registration: www.fiumeiutisirkert.nori.gov.hu

30 May 2026 | 10:00 AM

Informal ‘Conversation’ with Literary Historian Ágnes Széchenyi – A Literary Walk

In the spirit of scholarly outreach and to mark the occasion of WDEC, we have invited a renowned Hungarian scholar to lead a guided walk. Professor Ágnes Széchenyi is a prominent figure in contemporary literary studies and an expert on Hungary’s legendary literary journal Nyugat (1908–1944).

Walking among the graves of the writers published in Nyugat, the Professor will bring to life the careers, relationships, debates, and rivalries of the journal’s founders and successive generations. The graves scattered throughout the cemetery truly speak to us only when we attempt to weave the lives and works of those resting beneath the stone and bronze into a single narrative.

This walk will be an unconventional literature lesson, featuring fewer dry facts and many fascinating stories. We will remember, among others, Endre Ady, Mihály Babits, Zsigmond Móricz, Lajos Nagy, Aladár Schöpflin, Attila József, and Miklós Radnóti.

Details and registration: www.fiumeiutisirkert.nori.gov.hu

WDEC 2026 at the Cemetery of the Observance

The Municipality of Faenza invites visitors to a free guided tour of the Cemetery of the Observance in Faenza, Italy, taking place on 31 May 2026.

About the event

On the occasion of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026, a free guided tour will be held at the Cemetery of the Observance in Faenza, Italy. Taking place on Sunday, 31 May at 10:30 AM, this visit offers a rare glimpse into the hidden history and artistic treasures of one of the city’s most significant cultural landmarks.

The tour lasts approximately one hour. Participation is free, but reservations are required via info@prolocofaenza.it.

This event is organised by the Municipality of Faenza in collaboration with the Pro Loco Faenza APS cultural association. For further details, visit www.faenzaeventi.it/eventi/.

WDEC 2026 at Sant Antoni Abat Cemetery

During this year's Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, several guided walks will take place at the Sant Antoni Abat Cemetery in Alcoy, Spain.

Event program

➤ Saturday, 30 May 2026

10.00: Guided tour of the Alcoy Monumental Cemetery, by Quality Tours Mariola
Information and registration: www.qtmariola.com
Price: 15€ per person

12.00: Freemasonry route in the Alcoy Monumental Cemetery, by Quality Tours Mariola
Information and registration: www.qtmariola.com
Price: 15€ per person

➤ Sunday, 31 May 2026

10.00: Guided tour of the Alcoy Monumental Cemetery, by Quality Tours Mariola
Information and registration: www.qtmariola.com
Price: 15€ per person

12.00: Freemasonry route in the Alcoy Monumental Cemetery, by Quality Tours Mariola
Information and registration: www.qtmariola.com
Price: 15€ per person

17.00: Dramatized tour "In the shadow of the cypresses", by Guiarte con Arte
Information and registration: www.guiarteconarte.es or 650 59 42 32
Price: 12€ per person; 5€ for children under 16 years

Official flayer

You can download the official flyer with the program of events at the Sant Antoni Abat Cemetery at this LINK.

WDEC 2026 at Žale Cemetery

Don’t miss free guided tours and a special open-air concert at Žale Cemetery, held as part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026.

Guided tours (25–31 May 2026)

During the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026, ŽALE Javno podjetje, d.o.o. will organise free guided tours of Žale Cemetery in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The tours will take place from 25 to 31 May 2026 (inclusive). 

The guide will meet visitors in front of Plečnik's propylaea:

• 25–29 May 2026 at 5:00 PM
• 30–31 May 2026 at 12:00 PM

You will visit the famous Plečnik’s Žale, which has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will also see the final resting place of Jože Plečnik and other notable Slovenians, as well as works by renowned architects and sculptors and other important parts of Žale Cemetery, which is in fact an open-air museum.

Open-air concert (28 May 2026)

As part of the programme, a special open-air concert will also take place at Plečnik’s Žale on 28 May 2026, offering visitors a unique cultural experience in this remarkable setting.

For additional information, please contact ŽALE Javno podjetje, d.o.o. at tajnistvo@zale.si or +386 1 420 17 19.

About Žale Cemetery

Žale is one of Europe’s most beautiful cemeteries, thanks to its high cultural, historical, and artistic value. Many prominent figures are buried here, including poets, writers, sculptors, painters, composers, architects, actors, engineers, politicians, and athletes. The cemetery also contains burial grounds from World War I and World War II, as well as other memorials and works by notable architects and sculptors. It is also significant as the city’s second-largest park and is worth visiting in all seasons.

WDEC 2026 at New Cemetery of Podgórze

Association PODGORZE.PL invites you to a free guided walk at the New Cemetery of Podgórze to discover the stories of those laid to rest in this historic place.

About the event

The guided walk titled “In the footsteps of famous people in the New Cemetery of Podgórze” will take place on May 27, 2026, at 18:00, starting at the main gate of the New Cemetery of Podgórze (Wapienna Street, Kraków).

Participants will discover the stories of notable individuals buried in the cemetery, including priests, entrepreneurs, and soldiers.

The event continues a successful series of annual walks and will be led by members and friends of the Association PODGORZE.PL. Participation is free of charge.

More information at podgorze.pl.

Guided walk "The Piratello in the Feminine"

On 31 October and 1 November 2025, visit Piratello Cemetery in Imola, Italy, for the guided walk "The Piratello in the Feminine: Noble Benefactors, Devout Women, Partisans, and Scientists".

About the event

As part of the Urban Trekking initiative, Le Guide d’Arte, in collaboration with Area Blu S.p.A., is organising a special guided walk through the Piratello Cemetery in Imola titled "The Piratello in the Feminine: Noble Benefactors, Devout Women, Partisans, and Scientists".

This walk highlights the lives and contributions of women across different eras and social classes. Figures range from devout, family-oriented women to noblewomen such as the tragic Countess Orsola Bandini-Tozzoni and Desideria Pasolini Dall’Onda, founder of Italia Nostra. Participants will also discover women who left their mark in literature and science, including the nonconformist writer Eugenia Codronchi Argeli, known as “Sfinge,” and Giuseppina Cattani, the first woman admitted to Bologna’s prestigious Medical-Surgical Society. Furthermore, the route commemorates acts of courage, from Bianca Bizzi, whose family saved six Jewish individuals from deportation and death, to midwife Delvina Poggi, arrested and imprisoned in the Rocca fortress, as well as the partisans resting in the crypt of the PLH building.

Along the walk, visitors will have the opportunity to admire funerary monuments of particular artistic interest, many notable for their depictions of the female figure.

Location and schedule

The walk begins at the courtyard in front of the offices of Area Blu S.p.A., Via Emilia Ponente 24, 40026 Imola (BO).

Starting times:

• 31 October 2025 at 10:00 a.m.
• 1 November 2015 at 3:00 p.m.

Covering approximately 2 kilometers, the walk lasts around two hours, offering a reflective and visually rich experience.

Registration details

Registration for the event is required using this reservation form. Each participant may book up to two walks to allow broader participation in the Urban Trekking event.

For more information, visit the Sito Ufficiale del Territorio Turistico Bologna–Modena website or contact the organizers on WhatsApp at +39 347 7425404.

*Cover photo source: www.bolognawelcome.com

Naturalmente Imola 2025 at Piratello Cemetery

On 28 September 2025, a guided tour will be held at the Piratello Cemetery in Imola, Italy, as part of the Naturalmente Imola program.

About Naturalmente Imola

Naturalmente Imola (Eng. Naturally Imola) is a cultural and environmental initiative promoted by the Municipality of Imola, Italy. It features guided tours, talks, and other activities designed to highlight the city’s natural heritage and to foster greater awareness of the relationship between people, landscapes, and biodiversity.

Program

As part of the 2025 edition, two events dedicated to the theme of trees and their significance in contemporary society will take place on Sunday, 28 September.

➤ 3:00 PM – Piratello Cemetery
Event: Great Trees at Piratello
Description: Guided tour led by Stefano Tedioli, an arborist with over thirty years of professional experience, lecturer, and specialist in urban tree management. The tour will provide insights into the analysis and care of trees in urban contexts, which are increasingly affected by climate change.

➤ 5:00 PM – Ridotto of the Stignani Theater
Event: The Sun and the Moon, the Roots and the Enigma of Great Terrestrial Trees – Or How Tree-Giants Could Save Us from Time and from Ourselves
Description: Meeting with writer Tiziano Fratus. His work, inspired by encounters with monumental trees, historic gardens, and forests in Italy and abroad, has developed into an original body of thought and literature. Among his central concepts are Homo Radix, Dendrosophy, and the Itinerant Forest, expressed through publications ranging from poetry and prose to children’s literature, exhibitions, and meditations.

The events are organized jointly by the Municipality of Imola in collaboration with CIMS.

The full program of Naturalmente Imola (in Italian) is available HERE.

Reservations required

For more information and reservations, please contact attivita.culturali@comune.imola.bo.it or call +39 0542 602300.

WDEC 2025 in Istanbul

The Feriköy Protestant Cemetery, Istanbul’s main international burial ground, celebrated WDEC 2025 on May 28 with a guided tour, speeches, and the planting of a “peace tree.”

About the Event

To mark WDEC 2025 and highlight the spirit of international understanding and unity that has characterized the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery since its founding in 1859, an olive tree (a symbol of peace since ancient times) was planted in front of the chapel on May 28, 2025. Embodying the motto of ASCE’s Peace Tree Project, “Live in peace to rest in peace,” the tree is now a permanent reminder for cemetery visitors of the need for empathy and accord to counter aggression and foster just, harmonious societies that bind humanity rather than divide it. This was the first time the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery participated in WDEC, and the tree planting made it especially meaningful and memorable.

The event began with a guided tour of the cemetery lead by Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative members Fokke Gerritsen (Netherlands Institute in Turkey) and Brian Johnson (American Research Institute in Turkey). Speeches by Consul General of The Netherlands Arjen Uijterlinde and President of the Governing Board of the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Sebastiaan Kuipers followed, after which the tree was ceremoniously planted. A dedication plaque will be added later. The celebration concluded with a refreshments for the roughly forty guests, including members of the foreign diplomatic corps and cemetery friends and supporters.

Brian Johnson describes the gravestones of Monument Row, some of the oldest in the cemetery, which date from the early 1600s to the mid 1800s

Fokke Gerritsen speaks about some of the prominent people commemorated on the Dutch Memorial, whose names testify to the historic presence of the Netherlands in the Ottoman Empire from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries

2025 Governing Board President Sebastiaan Kuipers officially dedicates the Peace Tree (left)

Consul General of The Netherlands Arjen Uijterlinde addresses the audience by the Peace Tree

2024 Governing Board President Marc Seemann (Vice-Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany) shovels the first soil on the Peace Tree

The Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Peace Tree

About the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery

Founded in 1859, the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery is the principal burial place for Istanbul’s foreign Protestant and otherwise non-Catholic or Orthodox dead. It is managed by a governing board comprised of the consulates-general of Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Switzerland, and the USA. The board is assisted in its administrative task by the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative, a scholarly working group affiliated with six Turkey-based international research centers, including the American Research Institute in Turkey, the Netherlands Institute in Turkey, the Orient-Institut Istanbul, the Hungarian Cultural Center, the Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, and the British Institute at Ankara.

Additional information

Further details about the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery and its history and administration can be found on its ASCE webpage and on the website of the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative. Inquiries about the Initiative and its projects can be sent to info@ferikoycemetery.org.

WDEC 2025 in Rijeka

As part of WDEC 2025 in Rijeka, the photo exhibition “Mayors of Rijeka and Sušak” and guided tours explored the legacy of 15 former city leaders buried at Kozala and Trsat cemeteries.

About the event

On Monday, May 26, 2025, at 18:00, Kozala Cemetery hosted the opening of the photo exhibition “The City and Mayors of Rijeka and Sušak” by Petar Fabijan, marking the start of this year’s Week of Discovering European Cemeteries in Rijeka. The exhibition showcases the grave sites of 15 mayors and chiefs of Rijeka and Sušak buried in the Kozala and Trsat cemeteries.

The event featured a musical performance by students from the Ivan Matetić Ronjgov Music School and was officially opened by Nives Torbarina, Director of KD Kozala d.o.o., and Zvonimir Bačić, Head of Technical Affairs at KD Kozala d.o.o. Attendees then joined an educational cemetery walk led by art historian Daina Glavočić and Professor of Fine Arts Theodor de Canziani.

The program continued at Trsat Cemetery on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 18:00.

Visitors can also explore the featured gravesites independently using the ARtour mobile app or by downloading the PDF brochure available at the following links:

• English brochure
• Croatian brochure

Highlights from Kozala Cemetery

Highlights from Trsat Cemetery