It chronologically precedes Łyczakowski and Powązki cemeteries. It is characterised by a large number of valuable gravestones, among others, from leading workshops of Cracow and Lviv from the turn of the 19th and 20th century.

History

The cemetery was established between 23 August and October 1784. In 1831 a cemetery chapel was erected upon funding by Franciszka Gneiser. The cemetery was expanded to the west in the years 1845-1850. At first, it was managed by the local parish; only in 1877 the starosty passed the management tasks to the town. In 1889 a gate leading to the cemetery was built. Around 1890 another expansion of the cemetery took place, this time eastwards. In the years that followed the chapel was renovated and partially surrounded by a wall. The overcrowded cemetery was closed in 1906 and opened again four years later (a new cemetery was improperly located). The year 1910 marked another set of works at the chapel. Only in 1937 was the fence completed in the form of a wire mesh; additionally, new paths began to be demarcated. In the late 1960s a part of the cemetery was partitioned into smaller sections.

Description

The cemetery is located in the western part of the town; it is communicated with the main street (John Paul II Street) through Cmentarna Street, which is also subject to monument preservation. The area of the cemetery along with Cmentarna Street is approximately 3.6 hectares. The cemetery has a contour approximating that of a rectangle, positioned along the south-west - north-east axis. It is surrounded by a concrete and brick fence. The area is accessible through a gate located in the eastern part of the northern section of the fence and a side gate located in the northern part of the eastern section. A chapel was erected along the axis of the gate and Cmentarna Street that leads to it. The cemetery has a layout of an irregular chessboard, which does not result from a purposeful design of the entire complex. Its area is overgrown with numerous old tree stands. Behind the chapel there is a large section with a considerable number of most valuable gravestones. Some of them have been relocated from other areas of the cemetery. The resource of funerary art consists of outstanding works of workshops of such Lviv-based sculptors as Antoni Schimser, Leopold Schimser, Julian Markowski, Paweł Eutele, Ludwik Tyrowicz, Henryk Perier, Ludwik Makolondra; Cracow-based ones - Józef Kulesza, Fabian Hochstim, Edward Stehlik; and Przemyśl-based ones - Ferdynand Majerski.

The chapel was erected along the axis approximating that of a north-south arrangement, with a front façade facing to the north. It is a Classicist building, preceded by a four-column portico; it has a single bay and was established on a rectangular floor plan with chamfered southern corners. It is made of brick and covered with a gable roof giving way to a multi-pitched one. A tall steeple covered with a convex and concave cupola towers over the entire building. Façades are articulated with pilasters and crowned with entablature. The interior has one bay and is covered with a cloister vault.

The gateway consists of a central gate and two side gates. Four masonry pillars were erected. Two central ones are taller, while two extreme ones are lower. The pillars, embellished with rectangular panels, are covered with tented roofs. A two-wing gateway and one-wing gates are made of metal, forged and lavishly decorated.

The cemetery fence does not feature architectural decorations. Partly, it is made of brick, while the rest is made of concrete. We lack information about which parts of the fence were erected before World War II and which ones are contemporary.

The building is available all year round; sightseeing upon prior telephone appointment.

compiled by Bartosz Podubny, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Rzeszow, 09-10-2014.

Bibliography

• Karta cmentarza, Jarosław, Cmentarz komunalny, stary cmentarz, oprac. J. Kociuba, 1991 r. (Archiwum WUOZ w Przemyślu)
• Karta ewidencyjna zabytków architektury i budownictwa, tzw. karta biała, Jarosław, Kaplica cmentarna, oprac. T. Piekarz, 2001 (Archiwum WUOZ w Przemyślu)
• Zięba Z., Jarosławskie cmentarze, Jarosław 2008