All Saints’ Day (Dzień Wszystkich Świętych) and All Souls’ Day (Dzień Zaduszny, or Dzień Wszystkich Zmarłych) take place on 1st and 2nd of November in Kraków and across Poland, when entire families crowd into cemeteries to lay flowers, pay their respects to loved ones and place candles, tens of thousands of candles!
The effect is a rather spectacular sight of thousands of coloured candles, placed on and around graves, with flowers, and often more personal specific ‘gifts’ left for the passed family and friends.
The masses of people, literally queuing up to enter the cemetery, visiting their family grave, and then wandering solemnly around the cemetery, is a remarkable and unforgettable experience, the collective respect and compassion for the dead is incredibly moving.
Barely a grave is left forgotten or unattended to, often people can be seen laden with candles which they place at strangers graves, which may otherwise be less cared for.
The candles burn for days, and many are replenished in the first few days of November, prolonging the respectful and tender spectacle.
A visit to one of Kraków’s cemeteries to pay your respects and to witness this incredibly moving and dignified paying of respect to the dead is a must.
Of course Kraków’s Rackowicki and Salwator cemeteries may be the main locations, but any and all cemeteries across the city will have their own magical, moving display. Krakow in your Pocket, have a useful page with links to the main cemeteries.
Even if you have no personal connection to any of the cemeteries inhabitants, there are always the graves of those who died, without family, as well as Commonwealth and other military war graves for you to leave a candle and take part in the mass display of respect and remembrance of the dead.
I have been moved by families leaving candles at the graves of young Soviet conscript soldiers at Borek Cemetery, a gesture repeated, respecting friends and strangers alike, across Kraków and Poland.
Such is the volume of people attending the main cemeteries that special road closures, parking and public transport arrangements are put in place, with Police and City Guards on hand to keep traffic and people moving.
CEMETERY OPENING HOURS
Kraków’s municipal cemeteries are open:
1st November – from 6.00 to the last visitor 2nd November – from 7.00 to 22.00 3rd November – from 7.00 to 20.00
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
For safety reasons and numerous restrictions on vehicle traffic in cemetery areas, we suggest using public transport. In the area of the Grębałów, Prądnik Czerwony and Rakowicki cemeteries, traffic inspectors will hand out leaflets with the routes of additional lines and provide information.
- changes on Wednesday, 1st November – All Saints’ Day
- changes on Thursday, 2nd November – All Souls’ Day
- changes on Friday, 3rd November
- changes from 28th October to 5th November in Skawina
- changes from 31st October to 1st November in Wieliczka
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CHANGES
Such is the volume of people attending the main cemeteries that special road closures, parking and public transport arrangements are put in place, with Police and City Guards on hand to keep traffic and people moving. Traffic organisation changes at specific cemeteries can be found below.
- dates of temporary changes in road traffic organisation
- Grębałów cemetery
- Podgórski cemetery
- Prądnik Czerwony cemetery
- Prokocim cemetery
- Rakowicki cemetery
- Salwatorski cemetery
- Wola Duchacka cemetery
- other cemeteries
- changes in traffic lights
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Practical information on traffic management, public transport arrangements, cemetery opening times, and a cemetery search portal, for All Saints Day in Kraków.
- opening hours of municipal cemeteries
- grave decoration and environmental protection, graveyards
- infrastructure, assistance for people with disabilities and medical points
- online grave locator
- collections at cemeteries
- parking at the municipal police station on ul. Good Shepherd 116
- information from the Management Board of Municipal Cemeteries in Krakow regarding weather conditions and a message addressed to visitors of municipal cemeteries in Krakow
- where to find graves of famous Poles (which mostly have a sea of candles)
CEMETERY PLANS (pdf download)
- Bronowice cemetery
- Czerwone Maki cemetery
- Grębałów cemetery
- Kobierzyn–Lubostroń cemetery
- Mydlniki cemetery
- Podgórski cemetery
- Prądnik Czerwony cemetery
- Prądnik Czerwony cemetery (widening)
- Prokocim cemetery
- Pychowice cemetery
- Rakowicki cemetery
- Rakowicki cemetery (part at Prandoty Street)
- Wola Duchacka cemetery
CULTURAL EVENTS
OTHER INFORMATION
- Restoration of historic tombstones and war graves
- Old Podgórski Cemetery – comprehensive revitalisation is underway
- Following the trail of Krakow heroines – a walk around Rakowicki cemetery
- Light a candle on the mass grave in the Liban quarry
A memorial candle for the victims of wars in Ukraine
BACKGROUND READING
All Saints’ Day is celebrated in Poland and in many other countries. According to some sources, the idea for All Saints’ Day goes back to the fourth century while other sources say that a commemoration of “All Martyrs” began to be celebrated as early as 270 CE. Pope Gregory IV made All Saints’ Day an authorised holiday in the Catholic Church in 835 CE.
A Scot in Kraków. The founder and editor of Kraków Expats Directory, and our sister sites Kraków TV and Kraków Stories Podcast.
David fell in love with Kraków 24 years ago, making it his home in 2011.
In 2020 he was awarded the title of Kraków’s Ambassador of Multiculturalism, by the President of Kraków, and is also a member of the GlobalScot network, representing Scottish culture and business abroad.
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