Národní památník (National Memorial) at Vítkov – the interior

National Memorial at Vítkov – the interior

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In order to complete the sightseeing of the Memorial at Vítkov we need to peep in at the interior of the building. You will certainly be pleasantly surprised to see what kind of rooms are hidden behind its walls. They are not just spaces determined for pious acts but also many representative halls.

Ústřední síň (The Central Hall)
The main hall of the Memorial at Vítkov was in particular determined for burials of significant representatives of the Czechoslovak legions. In the 1930s ten sarcophaguses and sixteen tombstones of the noted state representatives were displayed in this pious hall. The tombstones were made of dark polished marble, the sarcophaguses of so-called Slivenec marble. The remains of the deceased Czechoslovak presidents such as Klement Gottwald, Antonín Zápotocký or Ludvík Svoboda were placed inside of them. Even the decoration of the hall is unique. There are reliefs coming from the workshop of the sculptor Karel Pokorný. He engraved them into the marble plates embedded in the Memorial´s construction. The reliefs figure the legionary fights. You can for instance find a portrait of a French legionary in offence or the wounded Italian legionary here.

The Columbarium
Another pious place of the Memorial is the Columbarium. These spaces were meant to serve for burials of significant Czechoslovak legionaries, however not a single hero has ever been buried here. Instead, the Columbarium was the necropolis of the prominent representatives of the Czechoslovak Communist Party from 1951. Their remains were saved there until 1989. The decoration of the room in form of sarcophaguses and bronze candlesticks was carried out by the sculptor Jaroslav Horejc.

Chapel of the Fallen Soldier
In the Chapel of the Fallen Soldiers, as the name already gives away, the remains of the fallen legionary heros were meant to be saved. There were more than forty Italian and three Russian legionaries who had been executed by the Austrian state organs during WW1. In the chapel there are many unique decorative elements to view, mainly the mosaics by Max Švabinský, reliefs by Horejc or the sculpture „Raněný“ (the Wounded) created by the sculptor Jan Štursa.

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The Ceremonial Hall
A very significant room of the Vítkov Memorial is the Ceremonial Hall. It was built for a purpose of significant political events such as the election of the president of the republic. The hall is composed of three aisles whose decoration matches the required prestige of the hall. You can for instance find the first-republic emblems by the sculptor Karel Kotrba or the monumentous statue of the flying winged Genius on which Kotrba co-operated with Ladislav Kofránek. The history of the statue is very interesting, it is namely not the original work created according to the extant documentation because the original of the statue was destroyed during the war. The painter Karel Svolínský is the author of another important work, a gobelin carpet with the state emblem which is placed directly above the main platform.

The Presidential Lounge
However, the most precious gem is the lounge whose walls are covered by the entirely original brocade wallpaper with the Byzantine pattern made according to the fabric found in the tomb of the Bohemian kings in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle. The patterns are also to be found on the precious waffle ceiling and also on the parquet floor. The decoration of the Presidential Lounge is composed of a fireplace or marble candlesticks.

Address:
U Památníku 1900,
130 00 Praha 3 – Žižkov

Opening hours:
From November 8th, 2010 (winter operation):
Monday–Wednesday: CLOSED
Thursday–Sunday: 10.00–18.00

Operation of the view terrace on the roof of the Memorial:
The access onto the view terrace is for safety reasons restricted to 25 visitors per half an hour. The first entry is possible at 10:30 am, the last one at 04:30 pm.

In case of bad weather conditions the entry onto the terrace will not be allowed.

Opening hours of the café – see www.cafevitkov.cz

Entrance fees
Entire object
Full: 110,- CZK
Reduced: 60,- CZK
Family: 170,- CZK
School excursions with pedagogic accompaniment: 40,- CZK/person
Ticket with one year validity: 500,- CZK
Commentary: Czech – 200,- CZK
Recording: 80,- CZK
Taking pictures: 80,- CZK

Exposition
Full: 60,- CZK
Reduced: 30,- CZK
Family: 90,- CZK
School excursions with pedagogic accompaniment: 20,- CZK/person
Commentary: Czech – 200,- CZK (only if booked per telephone via 222 781 676)
Recording: 50 ,- CZK
Taking pictures: 50,- CZK
From June 1st,. 2010 – every first Thursday of the month FREE entry between 02:00 – 06:00 pm

View terrace
Full: 80,- CZK
Reduced: 50,- CZK
Family: 130,- CZK
School excursions: 30,- CZK/person

Connection:
Bus: 133, 175, 509 –U Památníku, Tachovské náměstí
Bus: 133,136, 509 – Černínova, Ohrada
Tram: 9, 10, 16, 19, 55, 58 – Biskupcova
Metro: B, C – Florenc (from there take a bus Nr. 133, 175 or 509 to the above-mentioned stations)

GPS: 50°5’18″N, 14°26’57.999″E

Transport connection:
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