National cultural monument: the Memorial Cemetery - National Cemetery.
The National Cemetery is a place that has become a symbol of the city of Martin. This place of remembrance inspires respect not only because of the important personalities of Slovak history who rest here, but also because of its architectural design. The site is open to the public.
History and origin of the cemetery
The cemetery was established in 1780 by order of the Empress Maria Theresa. It was decided that for health and hygiene reasons it was forbidden to bury in the town, so the cemetery was established on the outskirts of the town of Martin. It served the inhabitants of the Catholic and Protestant faiths, while the Jewish cemetery was located in its neighbourhood.
In 1863, on the initiative of the Slovak Matrix, the idea of creating a national pantheon for deserving personalities of the Slovak nation was born. The first person to be buried in this way was the Matica vice-president Karol Kuzmány (1866), whose funeral was of a manifesto character. This act heralded the tradition that important Slovak personalities would find their final resting place in the National Cemetery. The second person to be buried was Ján Kalinčiak (1871).
Development of the cemetery
The cemetery has expanded over the years. The cemetery was first enlarged in 1879 and its final triangular layout was completed in 1909. The fence was built in 1860 and later renovated several times. A new municipal cemetery was later built to the east of the cemetery, which is now almost full. The most recent burials take place in the Star Colony section of the town.
Pantheon of Slovak Historians
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the cemetery was visited by a number of important personalities of the Slovak nation, among them Svetozár Hurban Vajanský, whose funeral was accompanied by mass public participation. In addition to the originally buried personalities, other personalities such as Martin Kukučín (1928 from Croatia) and Janko Kráľ (1940 from Zlaté Moravec) were later moved here as well. After 1989, the National Cemetery also added personalities whose legacy had been suppressed until then for political reasons, such as Jozef Cíger Hronský (writer and administrator of the Slovak Matrix) or Milan Hodža (Prime Minister of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic) and others.
Architectural values and artistic tombstones
The National Cemetery is remarkable not only historically but also architecturally. The magnificent necklaces designed by well-known artists Blažej Bulla (for Andrej Kmet), Dušan Jurkovič (for S. H. Vajanský), Fraňo Štefunko and academic sculptor Tibor Bártfay, create a unique atmosphere for many personalities. These works of art give the cemetery the character of a monument worthy of national importance.
Organisation and management of the cemetery
The first cemetery regulations were introduced in 1877 to ensure order and system in burials. In 1945 the cemetery was reorganised and the public interest was given priority - graves were moved to suitable locations. In 1967, the National Cemetery was declared a national cultural monument and its administration was taken over by the Slovak Matica. It is now partly the responsibility of the City of Martin (after 2000), with a commission deciding on the burial of personalities.
A powerful experience for visitors
A walk through the National Cemetery is an experience full of awe and reflection on history. The site is arranged in sectors A - F for better orientation. In the shade of the trees and with the rustling of leaves, the visitor can get the feeling of being spoken to by the great figures of our history who rest here.
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