Grave of Jan Palach, Grave in Žižkov, Prague, Czech Republic

The Grave of Jan Palach at Olšany Cemetery in Žižkov holds a bronze relief of a reclining human figure made by sculptor Olbram Zoubek, who had taken Palach's death mask. The original relief was removed by the authorities in July 1970; a replica of the original tombstone now stands at the cemetery.

Sculptor Olbram Zoubek, who had taken Palach's death mask, made a bronze relief of a reclining body for the grave. In July 1970 the authorities had it removed, claiming it did not match the submitted documentation; it was melted down months later and the family was forbidden to place a new one. A replica of the original relief now stands at the grave.

The grave became a rallying point soon after Palach's death: crowds visited it so persistently that the normalization regime had the bronze relief removed in July 1970 and later melted down. His family was then forbidden to place a new marker. A replica of Zoubek's original relief now stands at the site, and the grave was declared a national cultural monument in 2019.

The grave is located in section 7 of the cemetery and can be found easily with directional signage. Visitors should know that the cemetery has standard opening hours and is explored on foot.

The site brings together two distinct moments of remembrance: the original burial from 1969 and the return of the ashes after the fall of communism. This dual history makes it a place where loss and recovery are intertwined.