Symbolic Cemetery at Popradské Pleso

Nestled near the picturesque Popradské pleso lake, in Slovakia’s Tatra National Park, Symbolický cintorín (Symbolic Cemetery) serves as a poignant tribute to the lives lost in the mountains, particularly those who perished while attempting to conquer the rugged peaks of the High Tatras.

This serene and somber site is not a traditional cemetery, as it does not contain actual graves; instead, it features symbolic memorials honoring climbers and hikers who met tragic fates in the region. There are around 300 plaques commemorating more than 400 people in the cemetery. Some of the memorials are plaques affixed to large boulders, while others take the form of large painted wooden crosses.

The project was the idea of Czech mountaineer Otakar Štáfl. The location was chosen in 1934, and opened in 1940. The cemetery bears the motto: Mŕtvym na pamiatku, živým pre výstrahu (“To the dead as a reminder, to the living as a warning”).