Fire Castle

The crematorium was built on Perštýn hill in 1915-1917 following a design by the architect Rudolf Bitzan, who gave his plans the somewhat mythical name of Feuerburg, i.e. Fire Castle. The architecture of the building is both monumental and symbolic. The architect apparently intended to make this building for incinerating the dead look different from the traditional church style, and so designed the Fire Castle to resemble an ancient temple. The same goes for the sober yet highly symbolic decor. 

Hall of fire

The massive staircase in front of the entrance is guarded by mythical figures with shields – the work of Professor Alois Rieber; carved into the shields are circles with the symbols of an owl, a snake, a lion and an eagle, representing sleep, rebirth, courage and strength. The interior decor is dominated by a mosaic depicting a man and the mythical Phoenix rising from the ashes – the symbol of immortality and resurrection.

A crematorium that was not allowed to perform cremations

However, the road to the construction of the crematorium was a long and arduous one. The “Die Flamme” association of advocates for cremation pushed hard to have it built back when this form of burial was prohibited by the laws of Austria-Hungary. The dispute eventually ended up in court, which in all its wisdom ruled that the crematorium could be built, but people could not be cremated in it. So be it. The foundation stone was laid in May 1915; the building was completed in July 1917 and opened in August of the same year. However, until the establishment of the independent Czechoslovakia, the deceased continued to be taken for cremation in the neighbouring town of Zittau in Germany. 

The first cremation in the country

The crematorium could only be opened after the collapse of the monarchy. The first cremation took place on 31 October 1918 and was the very first funeral of its type in what is now the Czech Republic. The building was thus finally able to serve its purpose, so aptly and reverently inscribed on the crematorium facade: "Pure, bright, primordial fire, take this frail body in your arms."

Urn garden

The Liberec crematorium is the grandest in the country and the urn garden was also designed with a whole new funereal philosophy in mind, with its airy ambience and low shrubs intended to symbolise the fragility of life and the power of nature.