Social infrastructure of burial nature in the spatial development of rural areas in Poland

This article presents results on social infrastructure of burial character (cemeteries, crematoria) located in the rural areas in Poland taking into account its influence on spatial development and society. To achieve the goal, villages were chosen from each Province where in the years 1989- 2019 burial facilities were implemented (36 objects), including: communal cemeteries (22 objects), parish cemeteries (8 objects), crematoria (6 objects). Analysis were carried out in accordance with the top-down principle, taking into account: planning documents, spatial and functional structure, context of burial objects, its location in the relation to the transport infrastructure, other religious facilities, development of buffer and social role. Research shows that the number of communal cemeteries and crematoria in the rural areas increased (which is associated with social acceptance for cremation process in Poland); this also applies to durability of cemetery composition and desacralization of its surrounding. Social infrastructure connected with burial should be an integrated part of rural landscape; that is why recommendations were elaborated.