Palach's pylon, Monument near Federal Assembly building in Vinohrady, Czech Republic.
Palach's pylon is a dark steel monument in front of the New Building of the National Museum, tapering from a broad base to a slender top nearly 30 meters high, with foundations reaching 7 meters underground. Since 2020 it carries a bronze sculpture titled Flame, about 2 meters tall and weighing roughly one ton, made by Antonín Kašpar after a plaster model by Miloslav Chlupáč. At its base are the words 'PLAMEN' and 'PAMÁTCE JANA PALACHA'.
Karel Prager designed the steel pylon in February 1968 as part of the Federal Assembly complex. After Jan Palach's self-immolation in January 1969, Prager and sculptor Miloslav Chlupáč dedicated it to his memory but kept this secret to avoid censorship. The dedication was confirmed only in 2018, when restorer Antonín Kašpar found it in archived documents. The monument was completed with Chlupáč's 'Flame' sculpture and unveiled on 17 November 2020.
The bronze 'Flame' on the pylon, nearly 2 metres high and weighing about a tonne, was cast by Antonín Kašpar in 2020 from a 30 cm plaster model by Miloslav Chlupáč. At its base stand the words 'PLAMEN' and 'PAMÁTCE JANA PALACHA' — Flame, in memory of Jan Palach. The sculpture was originally planned in granite but was banned in 1969 because its name raised unwanted associations.
The monument is located in the Vinohrady district near the National Museum building and is freely accessible to explore. The site is easy to reach and offers a good starting point for walking through the neighborhood.
The monument's dedication remained a hidden secret for decades, documented only in archived drawings. This concealed history makes the site a special testament to artistic resistance during political suppression.
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