National Monument in Vitkov, National monument and museum on Vítkov Hill in Žižkov, Prague, Czech Republic
The National Monument in Vitkov is a functionalist memorial on Vitkov Hill in Prague's Žižkov district, built from 1929 to 1933 to a design by Jan Zázvorka. Its pale stone blocks rise in stacked, stepped sections with a central tower, and a curving wall with a carved relief supports a wide staircase. A bronze equestrian statue of Jan Žižka by Bohumil Kafka stands on a tall pedestal on the ramp.
Construction began in 1928 as a monument to legionaries who fought in World War I and during the founding of Czechoslovakia, and was completed in 1938. After 1948, the building served under communist rule as a mausoleum for party members, before being rededicated in the 1990s.
The hill's name comes from the Prague burgher Vítek of Hora, who owned a vineyard there; the oldest written mention dates to 1041. The monument's columbarium holds the remains of an unknown soldier from the Battle of Zborov and the Dukla operation, and copies of Czechoslovak legion flags hang in the antechamber.
The climb to the monument is made via stairs or an access road from the neighborhood, and most indoor areas are accessible to wheelchair users. Visitors should allow time to view the exhibition and enjoy the view from the terrace, while the café offers a place to rest.
In front of the entrance stands a large equestrian statue of Jan Žižka, created by Bohumil Kafka in 1950 and among the largest of its kind in Europe. The figure measures nine meters in height, and the horse alone weighs more than 16 tons.
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