All Souls’ Day is approaching. Practical information for November days full of remembrance

Said Robert Kováč, Director of MARIANUM – The Bratislava City Funeral Service:

“The city’s cemeteries are ready for the increased number of visitors. We’ve taken several organisational measures to ensure a peaceful observance of the holidays, so that visitors can honour the memory of their loved ones in a dignified and undisturbed manner."

Measures associated with the increased cemetery attendance during the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day period ** Extended opening hours:**

- At municipal cemeteries: Open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., from 1 November to 8 November. - At Cemetery Administration offices: o Šafárikovo námestie: Open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., from 26 October to 30 October. o Vrakuňa Cemetery, Crematorium and the Urn Grove: Open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., from 24 October to 25 October. Open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., from 26 October to 30 October. Open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., from 31 October to 1 November.

Says Robert Kováč, Director of MARIANUM:

”To better accommodate clients, our Cemetery Administration offices will be open for longer hours during the All Saints’ Day period, specifically for nine consecutive days, including weekends. Clients will thus have more opportunities to take care of their business at the time most convenient for them. They can easily and without being pressed for time pay their lease and service fees for burial plots, update their contact details, enter into or terminate a lease agreement, transfer a burial plot or obtain permits for stonemasonry work."

Touchscreen information kiosks are available to help visitors navigate the cemeteries and locate specific burial plots

Finding the final resting place of loved ones is easier thanks to these information kiosks. Visitors can use them to quickly obtain details about the location of a burial plot, including the specific sector. They do not have to rely solely on the assistance of Cemetery Administration staff; they can look up the necessary information themselves, directly in the cemetery.

Explains the director of MARIANUM:

“Information kiosks are currently available at twelve cemeteries under our management. Visitors can find them at the Devín, Kozia brána, Petržalka, Lamač, Podunajské Biskupice, Vrakuňa, Prievoz, Rača and Slávičie údolie cemeteries, as well as at the Martin and Ondrej cemeteries and the Crematorium and Urn Grove."

Convenient transport via electric vehicle

From 17 October to 1 November, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., a free electric vehicle shuttle service will be available to visitors at the three largest sites: Slávičie údolie, Vrakuňa and the Crematorium and Urn Grove. This service will make it easier for visitors to travel from the cemetery entrance to as close as possible to specific grave sites.

Security

Says Robert Kováč, Director of the MARIANUM organisation:

“An increased fire safety and security team will be on duty to maintain order and ensure the safety of visitors."

The Director of MARIANUM advises:

“During the All Souls’ Day period, cemeteries see a large influx of visitors, which can be exploited by thieves and scammers. Therefore, we recommend that visitors not leave personal belongings unattended, even when placed near graves. They should also show caution regarding offers for stonemasonry work from unknown persons who may approach them directly at the cemeteries. When selecting a service provider, we suggest they verify their experience and references, pay close attention to price transparency and ask about any guarantees offered. It is possible using due diligence to avoid unpleasant experiences and reduce the risk of falling victim to fraud when having a monument repaired."

Restrictions and Prohibitions

To ensure the smooth observance of All Souls’ Day, stonemasonry work is prohibited from 26 October to 30 October. In the interest of visitor safety, vehicle access to the cemeteries will be regulated. We also ask visitors to be considerate of one another and to observe the rules in effect within the cemetery grounds, especially the prohibition on bringing dogs and the ban on riding bicycles, scooters or electric scooters.

Remembering with respect and environmental awareness

Remembering our loved ones does not demand a large number of lit candles or decorations. We can express the same level of respect and love for those we remember with fewer candles.

When tending to graves, let’s also consider the environment. Please do not leave partially used candles in general waste; instead, place them in specially marked recycling bins designated for candles and wax. Undamaged glass candle holders that are no longer needed can be left in designated stands for reuse, thus extending their lifespan. When choosing decorations, please give preference to natural materials and fresh flowers over plastic items.

Visiting a grave with flowers or a candle is a traditional way to show respect for the deceased. However, we can practice this custom in a more environmentally conscious manner – by choosing more ecological decorations, keeping the number of memorial items reasonable and carefully sorting our waste. The volume of waste in cemeteries notably increases during the All Souls’ Day period. Therefore, please let us consider how many candles and decorations we bring into the cemetery, and how we dispose of them once they have served their purpose. Proper waste sorting is crucial for the subsequent processing and recycling of these materials. Experience from MARIANUM shows that as much as 86.8% of the waste generated in cemeteries can be sorted. Waste sorting stations, which enable the separation of eight different types of waste, are located at the Vrakuňa, Prievoz and Petržalka cemeteries. Other cemeteries provide composters for the collection of biodegradable waste.

MARIANUM – The Funeral Services of the City of Bratislava has operated as a municipal contributory organisation since 1991. With more than 160 employees, we manage, maintain and operate 18 cemeteries, the Bratislava Crematorium, as well as two war cemeteries, which contain 763 war graves. We also oversee 62 war memorials and monuments, as well as 243 works of art located in public spaces. We are responsible for the operation of 70 municipal water features – 44 fountains, 15 drinking fountains, 8 misting units and 3 wells – along with the maintenance of public greenery and select heritage structures. MARIANUM – The Funeral Services of the City of Bratislava also provides additional services, including funeral arrangements, the transportation of the deceased (both domestically and internationally), the production and sale of wreaths and floral arrangements and the sale of religious/sacred items. We also maintain a digital registry of burial plots, urn sites and crypts, which includes a graphical representation of the burial grounds. We are a member of the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe (ASCE).