National Monument on Vitkov hill

This monument is located on the Vitkov Hill in Prague. If you decide to visit this colossal stricture, you will be able to learn a lot about the turbulent past of the Czech Republic as well as Czechoslovakia and their leaders from the 14^th century and the Hussite movement till the period of communism.

The National monument on Vitkov hill is located on the Vitkov hill close to the Army Museum of Prague. The monument consists of a colossal statue of Jan Žižka (leader and general of Hussite movement against the papacy) and a museum behind the monument.
Vitkov hill played an important role during the battle in the summer of 1420 between the Hussites and Crusaders. In this battle Crusaders were heavily defeated and Jan Žižka proved once more his abilities as a general and an important leader of the Hussite movement. In order to commemorate Jan Žižka, who was perceived as a leader that fought for Czech interests, the idea of building a monument in his honor was born in the 19^th century.
After several failed attempts, only in 1931 the construction of the statue dedicated to Jan Žižka started. The artist Bohumil Kafka was chosen for this important task. Kafka consulted many historians, who provided specific details on clothing stiles, armor details etc. in order to make the model that would be as close to this historic period as possible. It took him 10 years to finish the plaster model soon after which he died. According to this model the sculpture was cast only after the Second World War and unveiled on July 14, 1950.
The second part of the monument, the building behind the sculpture of Jan Žižka, consists of: the Ceremonial Hall, the Thomb of the Uknown soldier, the facilities of Klement Gottwald Mausoleum, and an exhibition called crossroads of Cezch and Cezchoslovakia Statehood.
The original idea was to place the sarcophagus of Tomáš Masaryk (1850-1937) in the main hall of the building. Tomáš Masaryk was the politician and philosopher who advocated the Czechoslovakia independence from Austrian-Hungary Empire during the First World War. He was the founder and the first president of Czechoslovakia after the defeat of Austrian-Hungary Empire in the First World War. Masaryk, together with his family, refused this honor.
Nevertheless, this monument served as a mausoleum for the communist leader Klement Gottwald from 1953 till 1962. Gottwald was a Czechoslovak politician who was the prime minister and the president of the communist Czechoslovakia. After his death, his body was mummified and exhibited here till 1962 when it was cremated. What survived of facilities beneath the building which were used for maintaining the right conditions for the mummified body can be visited today.

Ticket prices for the National Monument on Vitkov hill
Exhibitions + viewing platform
Regular ticket price is: 120CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 80CZK.
Family ticket (max. 2 adults and 3 children): 200CZK.

Ticket prices for just theexhibitions
Regular ticket price is: 80CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 60CZK.
Family ticket (max. 2 adults and 3 children): 140CZK.

Ticket prices for the viewing platform
Regular ticket price is: 80CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 50CZK.
Family ticket (max. 2 adults and 3 children): 130CZK.

Reduced price: senior citizens older than 60 years, disabled individuals, children between 6-15 and university students.
Free entrance: children younger than 6 years of age.
We advise you to check ticket prices before visiting – check the official website of the National Monument on Vitkov Hill.

Working hours of the National Monument on Vitkov hill
From April 1 to October 31 working hours are:
Wednesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00h.
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays.
From November 1 to March 31 working hours are:
Thursday-Sunday 10:00-18:00h.
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

Viewing platform
It is possible to visit the last floor of the building and enjoy view of the monument and Prague.
From April 1 to October 31 working hours are:
Wednesday-Sunday 10:30-17:30h.
From November 1 to March 31 working hours are:
Thursday-Sunday 10:00-16:00h.
(!) In case of bad weather this platform will be closed.
We advise you to check working hours before visiting – check the official website of the National Monument on Vitkov Hill.

Interesting facts

The bronze statue of Jan Žižka is the largest statue of a horseback rider in the world. The whole statue is 9 meters high, it weighs 17 tons and just the head of the rider weighs 109kg.
The unrests, followed by the Hussite wars, started a few years after Jan Hus was burned at the stake in 1415 under the charge of being a heretic. Jan Hus was a priest and reformer who opposed the Catholic Church because he believed that papacy was corrupt. The Pope John XXIII at that time wanted to raise money against the rivaling Pope Gregory XII by authorizing the sale of Indulgences (forgiveness of sins) in Bohemia. This practice enlarged the gap between Jan Hus and his followers (the Hussits) and the papacy. During these wars, the pope sent 5 crusades against the “Hussite heretics” each of which was unsuccessful.
In the ceremonial hall of the monument there is a tapestry with the emblem of the First Republic. In 1938, this tapestry was sent to New York to the World Exhibition in order to save it from destruction by the Nazis. The tapestry returned to the monument only in 2001.