The Olšany Cemetery, established in 1680 during a plague epidemic, is Prague's largest graveyard — a vast, quietly atmospheric park of old trees and elaborate funerary monuments running eastward from Žižkov. The oldest section near the main gate has the most remarkable 18th- and 19th-century tomb sculpture: allegorical figures, weeping angels, and elaborate carved headstones.
The most visited grave is that of Jan Palach, the student who set himself on fire on Wenceslas Square on 16 January 1969, in protest against the Soviet occupation. His grave has always been a focal point for Czech national sentiment. Painters, politicians, and writers are buried throughout; a map at the gate marks the notable graves.