Monument at Bílá hora, Memorial site in Ruzyně, Czech Republic
Monument at Bílá hora is a commemorative mound built in 1920 that sits on a hilltop within a circular field ringed by open land and woodlands. Cycling and hiking trails connect to the site, making it accessible for visitors exploring the Prague region.
The mound commemorates the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, when Czech forces were defeated by the armies of Emperor Ferdinand II and allied Catholic forces. This defeat reshaped the course of Czech and Central European history for the next 300 years.
The mound was raised by the Sokol district of Podbělohorská, a Czech gymnastics movement, which began collecting money in 1903 during a November walk to Bílá hora attended by 349 Sokol members. The land was bought from farmer Piskáček of Ruzyně for about 3,500 K. The memorial was unveiled unfinished on 7 November 1920, the day before the battle's 300th anniversary, with only Prague mayor Karel Baxa present besides the Sokols.
The mound stands on a small rise between shrubs in an open meadow or field, close to the Hvězda game reserve. The memorial plaque is set into one of the sloped faces about 2.5 metres above the ground. The site lies within the battlefield area declared a national cultural monument in 1962, which kept the open land around it from being built over.
The mound was unveiled unfinished on 7 November 1920 by the Sokol district of Podbělohorská; only Prague mayor Karel Baxa attended alongside the Sokol members. It was completed in 1921 and handed to the Smíchov district authority. The memorial plaque set into one slanted edge about 2.5 m above ground is the only original element still in place.
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