This year we’re celebrating 35 years since the Velvet Revolution began in the centre of Prague on 17 November. It ended the domination of the Communist Party in Czechoslovakia and gradually led to the establishment of democratic government and freedom in Czechia. This important anniversary deserves to be celebrated in style!
Prague and Korzo Národní: Where it all began
As every year on 17 November, crowds flock around the National Theatre on Národní třída in Prague to celebrate the Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy. Korzo Národní, as this commemorative event is called, invites people out to debates, concerts and exhibitions. The bands appearing on several outdoor stages around Národní třída and the afterparty in the nearby RockCafé club are sure to be an interesting experience.
This year, Korzo Národní will also showcase Václav Havel, the driving force behind the Velvet Revolution in 1989, through an exhibition of lesser-known photographs, Vaclav Havel Known-Unknown, and will also recall his important role in the context of Czech-Polish relations. On the street you’ll also be able to see an authentic Public Security van, the police vehicle used during the 1989 demonstrations.
Korzo Národní is the largest celebration of 17 November in Czechia and takes place at the site where the Velvet Revolution began. Every year, Národní třída closes to traffic and opens up to people from all over the country to commemorate freedom and democracy.
Prague and Wenceslas Square: Where Czech history is written
A short walk from Národní třída lies Wenceslas Square, which saw the biggest demonstrations of the 20th century. And it was no different in November and December 1989. This year, 35 years later, the square will also fill up in the early evening of 17 November. But instead of a demonstration, it will host a Concert for the Future! Leading Czech and Slovak bands will take to the stage from 4:30 to 10:00 p.m., creating a great atmosphere to celebrate this important national holiday.
The whole of Czechia comes alive with celebrations
Prague’s not the only place you can commemorate the events of 35 years ago. You can go to Plzeň, which will host the second annual Reflection of Freedom. The city centre will be transformed into a giant projection screen and concert stage. There’ll be an exhibition and an interactive light installation.The important date will also be commemorated in Zlín, where during the Festival of Freedom you can enjoy concerts, exhibitions of authentic documents and the Tomáš Bata Memorial festively lit up in the three colours of the Czech flag.
A peek behind the curtain of communism
Want to know what life was like in Czechoslovakia 35 years ago? And how the communist regime affected people's daily lives? Visit the Museum of Communism near the Powder Gate in the centre of Prague and try to put yourself in the shoes of the people who lived through that time! The museum exhibits include carefully selected original materials. You'll get a glimpse into history through original films, archival photos, screenings, interviews, paintings and historical documents.Not far from Charles Bridge in Stříbrná ulice, you’ll find the Velvet Revolution Street Museum. There, out in the open air, is a huge collage inspired by the Velvet Revolution and the major historical milestones that preceded it.
Rated as one of the best places commemorating the Iron Curtain, the strip of land between the Eastern Bloc and the West, is the Iron Curtain Museum in Valtice in Moravia. It is located at the "scene of the crime": in the former customs building near the Valtice-Schrattenberg border crossing. There are lots of uniforms, weapons and equipment, photographs and documents on display, as well as a gendarmerie station, a real cell and a piece of the restored Iron Curtain.
