Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
student who set light to himself in January 1969 in protest at the Soviet occupation. More
than 750,000 people attended Palach's funeral, and, in an attempt to put a stop to the annual
vigils at his graveside, he was reburied in his mother's home town of Všetaty, to the north
of Prague. His place was taken by an unknown woman, Maria Jedličková, who for the next
seventeen years had her grave covered in flowers instead. Finally, in 1990, Palach's body
was returned to the Olšany cemeteries; you'll find it just to the east of the main entrance on
Vinohradská.
Vojenský hřbitov (Military Cemetery)
Jana Želivského • Daily dawn-dusk • Metro Želivského
To the east of the Olšany cemeteries, and usually totally deserted, is the
Vojenský hřbitov
;
the entrance is 200m up Jana Želivského, on the right. Its centrepiece is the monument to
the 436 Soviet soldiers who lost their lives on May 9, 1945, during the liberation of Prague,
surroundedbyasmall, tufty meadow dotted with simple white crosses. Nearby,the graves of
Czechs who died fighting for the Habsburgs on the Italian front in World War I are laid out
in a semicircle. There are even some Commonwealth war graves here, mostly (though not
exclusively) British POWs who died in captivity.
Nový židovský hřbitov (New Jewish Cemetery)
Izraelská1•April-OctMon-Thurs&Sun9am-5pm,Fri9am-2pm;Nov-MarchMon-Thurs&Sun9am-4pm,
Fri 9am-2pm • 50Kč • 226 235 248 • Metro Želivského
Immediately south of the Military Cemetery is the
Nový židovský hřbitov
, founded in the
1890s,whentheonebythe
ŽižkovTVtower
becameovercrowded;itwasdesignedtolastfor
a century, with room for 100,000 graves. It's a melancholy spot, particularly so in the eastern
section,wherelargeemptyallotments waitinvaintobefilledbythegenerationthatperished
in the Holocaust. In fact, the community is now so small that it's unlikely the graveyard will
ever be full. Most people come here to visit
FranzKafka
's grave, 400m east along the south
wall and signposted from the entrance. He is buried, along with his mother and father (both
ofwhomoutlivedhim),beneathaplainheadstone;theplaquebelowcommemorateshisthree
sisters who died in the camps.
Žižkov Hill
Walk or take bus #133, #175 or #207 from Florenc metro station to U Památníku
Žižkovhill
(also known as Vítkov hill) is the thin green wedge of land that separates Žižkov
from Karlín, the grid-plan industrial district to the north. From its westernmost point, which
juts out almost to the edge of Nové Město, is the definitive panoramic view over the city
centre. It was here, on July 14, 1420, that the Hussites enjoyed their first and finest victory at
the
BattleofVítkov
, under the inspired leadership of the one-eyed general Jan Žižka (hence
the name of the district). Ludicrously outnumbered by more than ten to one, Žižka and his
fanatically motivated troops thoroughly trounced Emperor Sigismund and his papal forces.
