National Monument at Vítkov in Prague newly opened

The Historical Museum of the National Museum in Prague has managed the National Monument at Vítkov with a famous statue of Jan Zizka at a top since 2000. From 28th October 2009 the monument was re-opened after an extensive renovation.

The monument was built in honor of participants in the fight for the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic (Monument of National Liberation) in 1929-1938. In years of occupation 1939-1945 it served as a storehouse of military equipment. It was again modified and complemented after 1945, after 1948 it was misused to promote a regime (including Gottwald mausoleum and then a burial-place of important personalities of the former regime, memorial hall of the Red Army).

The memorial is now a museum of modern history with multimedia exposure named Crossroads of Czech and Czechoslovak statehood, which was prepared in cooperation with the Military History Institute in Prague. The exhibition displays a significant crossroads in our history, in which significantly changed the nationhood and ideological conception of the state. In particular, there are five basic moments:
1918: foundation of Czechoslovakia
1938: period of Munich and the end of Czechoslovakia
1945 - 1948: restoration of Czechoslovakia and a communist coup
1968: creation of the Czechoslovak Federation
1989: the fall of communism and ending of Czechoslovakia in 1992.

At the exhibition you will see for example last letters of Milada Horakova and Heliodor Pika from a prison, personal objects connected with Jan Palach, chess of bread by imprisoned Milan Šimeček or typewriter of Pavel Tigrid.
The exhibition uses some other parts of the Memorial, such as the Columbarium, the Hall of the Red Army or an underground of the Memorial, where is included an exhibition about the history of the National Monument at Vítkov.

Castle Photo Archive 1918 - 1933
Another exhibition in the newly renovated National Monument at Vítkov presents an unique photographic archive resulting from the activities of the Press Department of the Presidium of the Ministerial Council from 1918 to 1933. The photo archive served for reportage and documentary purposes and the Archive of the National Museum was able to save it in 1972.
The Castle Photo Archive contains nearly ten thousand authentic photographic displays (both the negatives and prints), which record 15 years of presidential mandate of Tomas G. Masaryk. The attention was paid not only to official events, but also to many moments in the president's personal life.
The event takes place:
28/10/2009 - 9/5/2010

In addition to the exhibitions the monument offers an attractive outlook with an impressive view of the Prague skyline and sitting in an unusual cafe.

Open year round:
Tue - Thu, Sat-Sun 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Throughout November 2009 the monument offers a free entry, so feel free to visit it.