Jan Palach Memorial (Památník Jana Palacha)

The basics

Stop at Jan Palach Memorial (Památník Jana Palacha) to reflect on the changes that have taken place in this Eastern European country over the past 50 years on a Prague highlights tour or an itinerary that focuses on the city’s years under the Nazi and Communist totalitarian regimes. Private or small-group highlights tours generally also visit the city’s castle, old town, and Charles Bridge—and may even include a Vltava River cruise. Tours of the city’s Nazi and Communist sites cover the Communist Museum, Memorial of the Velvet Revolution, and other 20th-century landmarks.

Things to know before you go

• The Jan Palach Memorial is easy to miss. Look for a worn bronze cross that seems to be rising out of the pavement at the bottom of the steps to the National Museum.
• Prague highlights tours and Nazi or Communism itineraries cover a lot of ground on foot, so be sure to wear comfortable footwear and be prepared to do some walking.
• The memorial is located in Wenceslas Square, one of the busiest in the city, but you will still often come across students or activists quietly leaving flowers and lighting candles at the site. Be respectful when visiting.
• The site is set on a public sidewalk and accessible to wheelchairs.

How to get there

The memorial is located in front of the National Museum on the far end of Wenceslas Square, near the entrance to the philosophy department of Charles University, where Palach was a student. The square is in the city center, a short walk from the main train station and other major city sights.

When to get there

The open-air memorial can be visited at any time, though it is not lit at night so is better appreciated before sunset. Locals often leave flowers and votive candles at the site in the evening, when the square is quieter and less crowded.

Jan Palach’s Remains

Jan Palach’s body was initially buried in the Olšany Cemetery, the largest in Prague. His grave soon became a shrine for political protesters, however, and the Czech secret police exhumed his remains, which were sent to his family in their native town of Všetaty. In 1990, his ashes were buried at his memorial site.