Tomb of the People's Heroes at Mirogoj, Zagreb
The Tomb of the People's Heroes (Grobnica narodnih heroja) stands in Mirogoj, the central cemetery of Zagreb. It was designed by the Croatian sculptor Đuro Kavurić and holds recipients of the Order of the People's Hero together with prominent activists of the workers' movement in Croatia and Yugoslavia. It is a quiet memorial of the Yugoslav period, worth a respectful stop during a walk through Mirogoj.
Two panels of names, written in stone at Zagreb's main cemetery, tell the story of a political movement across more than eighty years: the first of the dead named here died in 1929, the latest in 2013.
The history of the Tomb of the People's Heroes in Zagreb
The tomb is the work of the Croatian sculptor Đuro Kavurić and stands in Mirogoj, Zagreb's central graveyard. Sources give two different dates for its construction, so the exact year is left open here. It was conceived as a common resting place for people honoured by the Yugoslav state: recipients of the Order of the People's Hero and some of the most notable activists of the workers' movement in Croatia and Yugoslavia.
The names are written on two panels. They span several generations. The earliest are young secretaries of the central committee of SKOJ, the Yugoslav communist youth league, who died between 1929 and 1931, among them Janko Mišić, Zlatko Šnajder and Josip Debeljak. A second group belongs to the Second World War: Rade Končar, a leading figure of the Communist Party of Croatia who died in 1942, Vojin Kovačević and Josip Kraš, both of whom died in 1941, and Janko Gredelj.
Later names reflect the post-war decades. Đuro Salaj, president of the Unions Alliance of Yugoslavia, died in 1958, Kata Pejnović in 1966, and Većeslav Holjevac, mayor of Zagreb, in 1970. The lists also include generals of the Yugoslav People's Army and an admiral of the Yugoslav Navy, such as Dinko Šurkalo, who died in 2010. The most recent deaths among the listed people, those of Rade Bulat and Milutin Baltić, date from 2013, so the tomb remained in use long after the state it commemorates had ended.
On the night of 1 February 2001 an unknown group set off an explosive in front of the tomb and caused serious damage. Several Croatian officials strongly opposed the act, and the damage was later repaired. The monument has sister tombs of the same name in Belgrade and Ljubljana, which place it within a wider family of Yugoslav-era memorials, although each has its own history. Today it is both a burial place and a document of how twentieth-century Croatia remembered its political and military past.
Curiosities about the Tomb of the People's Heroes
- The tomb was designed by the Croatian sculptor Đuro Kavurić.
- The names are written on two panels, one on the right and one on the left.
- The people named range from activists who died in 1929 to people who died as late as 2013.
- Among those buried is Većeslav Holjevac, who was mayor of Zagreb, and Kata Pejnović, a politician and People's Hero.
- In February 2001 an explosion damaged the tomb; the damage has since been repaired.
- Similar tombs of the People's Heroes exist in Belgrade and Ljubljana.
Tours near Tomb of the People's Heroes, Zagreb
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting the Tomb of the People's Heroes
- The tomb lies inside Mirogoj cemetery, a place of burial, so visitors should keep to a quiet and respectful manner.
- The two panels carry the names of those buried; reading them gives a compact outline of the political history it commemorates.
- Mirogoj itself is worth time on the same walk, and the Stone Gate (about 2 km away), Dotrščina Memorial Park (about 3 km) and Lotrščak Tower (about 3 km) are other places nearby.
- Details of access inside the cemetery are not given in the sources, so check the current opening hours before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Tomb of the People's Heroes, Zagreb is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Questions
What is the Tomb of the People's Heroes in Zagreb?
It is a memorial tomb at Mirogoj cemetery, designed by the sculptor Đuro Kavurić, where recipients of the Order of the People's Hero and notable workers' movement activists are buried.
Where is the Tomb of the People's Heroes in Zagreb?
It is located in Mirogoj, Zagreb's central cemetery.
Who is buried in the Tomb of the People's Heroes?
Recipients of the Order of the People's Hero and notable activists of the workers' movement of Croatia and Yugoslavia, including Rade Končar, Većeslav Holjevac and Kata Pejnović. Their names are written on two panels.
Who designed the tomb?
The Croatian sculptor Đuro Kavurić.
Was the tomb damaged?
Yes. On the night of 1 February 2001 an unknown group set off an explosive in front of it. The damage has been repaired.
Are there similar tombs elsewhere?
Yes. Tombs of the People's Heroes also exist in Belgrade and Ljubljana.
Also nearby
Mirogoj Cemetery
Zagreb · arcades, domes and the 'Croatian Pantheon'
350 m away
Stone Gate
Zagreb · last medieval gate and a candlelit shrine to Mary
2.5 km away
Lotrščak Tower
Zagreb · medieval tower, thieves' bell and daily noon cannon
2.5 km away
Dotrščina Memorial Park
Zagreb · forest memorial park with Vojin Bakić's steel monument
3 km away