If you’re on this page, chances are you already know what Operation Anthropoid is sooo… I won’t go into how the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague is dedicated to the seven exiled Czechoslovakian paratroopers who flew from the UK and landed in the Czech Republic with the mission of assassinating SS leader Reinhard Heydrich in the spring of 1942.
Or how Heydrich, one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and architect of the “Final Solution,” was the target of the only government-sponsored assassination of a senior Nazi leader during WWII. (And only successful assassination attempt at that.) Because you already know that.
And since you already know this, I guess I don’t have to mention how these men succeeded in their mission and were ruthlessly hunted down for their actions.
Operation Anthropoid
You probably already know that these seven men—Jan Kubiš, Josef Gabčík, Josef Bublík, Adolf Opálka’, Josef Valčík, Jaroslav Švarc and Jan Hrubý—avoided immediate capture and eventually took refuge inside a church. And how they fought off hundreds of Nazi soldiers with machine guns and hand grenades, using only pistols.
And since this is a memorial we’re talking about, you must already know all seven of these heroes lost their lives after a hard-fought battle during which they overcame so many incredible odds. A battle that took place at the site of the current memorial.
You probably know all the astonishing details of Operation Anthropoid already. Now you want to visit the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague. And I’m here to help you do that!
The Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague
This memorial—formally known as the National Memorial to the Heroes of the Heydrich Terror—was installed by and is managed by the Military History Institute of Prague–a museum, research center, library, and archive facility of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.
I first visited Prague in September 2016 (I’ve since visited several times). Shortly before my trip, I saw the trailer for a movie called Anthropoid, set in the Czech capital and starring Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy.
This movie—touted as one of the most historically accurate films out there—was my first encounter with Operation Anthropoid and this story has captivated me ever since.
Also check out my post on the NS Documentation Center in Munich, Germany.
Where is the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague?
The Operation Anthropoid memorial is conveniently accessible within the city of Prague. It’s located beneath the Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius, right in the center of Prague’s New Town. You can get there in just a few minutes’ walk from many of the popular tourist sites and is just a stroll around the corner from the “Dancing House.”
Walking time to Operation Anthropoid memorial from:
- Astronomical Clock: 19 minutes
- Wenceslas Square: 15 minutes
- Charles Bridge: 18 minutes
- Dancing House: 3 minutes
If you have the time, be sure to take the half-day trip to Terezín concentration camp from Prague. (Known in German as Theresienstadt.) It’s quick, inexpensive, and incredibly worthwhile.
What to see at the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague
Before you even enter the memorial, follow the sidewalk along the south side of the church (along Resslova) until you see ‘1942’ in the sidewalk tiles.
Small exterior memorial
Here you’ll find a small memorial on the outside of the cathedral. It consists of a small window shrouded in bullet holes underneath a plaque commemorating many of the heroes related to Operation Anthropoid (the seven paratroopers, the cathedral’s Bishop Gorazd, and other helpers). There’s usually a collection of candles, flowers, and/or wreaths here too.
Through this window, Nazi soldiers shot at the paratroopers, threw grenades, and flooded the crypt with fire hoses. This small memorial was created in 1947.
Larger memorial
Head back towards the corner and turn right up the stairs to the church’s “porch” if you will. Up here you’ll see two tall black stones typically with wreaths or candles at the base. This is the memorial to the victims of the Heydrich terror created by sculptor Marie Šeborová and dedicated in 2010.
While the main Operation Anthropoid memorial pays tribute to the “heroes” of the operation, this memorial remembers those who assisted them in their efforts. This includes family members and strangers alike who helped hide them, feed them, and provide them with contacts after the assassination attempt. These people were subsequently arrested and killed at Mauthausen Concentration Camp.
The National Memorial to the Heroes of the Heydrich Terror
On the west side of the church, at ground-level, you’ll see the entrance to Národní Památník Hrdinů Heydrichiády—the National Memorial to the Heroes of the Heydrich Terror. Big wooden doors, shiny gold sign, Czech flag.
In here (the main Operation Anthropoid memorial) you’ll find:
A small museum dedicated to Operation Anthropoid
This begins with the development of the Munich Agreement, continuing on through Reinhard Heydrich’s rise to power, the entirety of Operation Anthropoid from preparation to execution, and the important role the Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral played. The informational displays are both in Czech and in English.
Artifacts
You’ll see a collection of physical, historical artifacts related to Operation Anthropoid
Gift shop
There is also a small “gift shop,” if you will. Okay fine, it’s a desk with some postcards on it.
The crypt
Here in the church’s crypt is where Operation Anthropoid came to a violent end. Inside this dimly lit room you’ll find busts of the heroes along with biographical information about each of them (in Czech and English), wreaths and flowers, and everything almost exactly as it was in 1942.
The air is heavy, the claustrophobia is real, and it’s impossible to not better understand the struggle of the heroes. Visiting the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague is an experience you won’t soon forget.
Things to know before visiting the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague
A visit to the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague will only take about a half hour out of your day. It’s close to a lot of other sights and visiting is easy and straightforward. However, there are a handful of things you should probably know before you go:
Admission is free
Admission to the museum and crypt is free. (But there is a place for you to leave donations if you feel so inclined.) For the latest operating hours, check out their official website here.
It’s hot inside
When I visited in early October, the heat inside the memorial was blasting. I mean, it was downright stifling in there. If you thought the weight of the topic was suffocating, wait until you go in there in a down jacket.
There’s a weird door
The door in and out of the crypt is… well it’s weird. I still don’t quite understand it. I realize that sounds ridiculous—I’m an adult; I’ve opened plenty of doors in my life—but hear me out.
The door is a large metal slab with no handles (that I could find). If the crypt door is shut, entering is easy (just push). If you’re inside and the door is shut… well… I wish you luck.
Did I nearly panic when I thought I was trapped in there? Yes. Did the fact that I was an inch from heatstroke have anything to do with that? Totally. Was it designed like this to make the visitor feel the same terror as the memorial’s heroes? Sounds plausible, right?
Long story short (well, not really at this point), I used my nails to claw the door slab from against the wall and was able to push it open. I have NO idea if that’s how you’re supposed to get out. If you visit and have a different experience, please advise.
*Update: Many other visitors over the years have told me they had the same experience with the door. Read the comments of this post for a lot more on this subject!
Recommended reading and watching
Operation Anthropoid is a lot more complex than what I’ve summed up here and is definitely worth learning more about. To learn more about Operation Anthropoid, check out these books and movies:
Anthropoid (2016)
English-language, historically accurate representation of the real-life Operation Anthropoid starring Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy. The trailer is action-packed, the movie is not as intense but you learn A LOT from watching it. Definitely a must-watch before a visit the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague.
Lidice (2011)
Also known as Fall of the Innocent in the UK. Dramatization of the destruction of the village of Lidice and the massacre of all its citizens by Nazi soldiers as payback for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. Czech language, English subtitles, great reviews. This movie has been proven hard to find so let me know if you do!
Resistance by Gerald Brennan (2017)
An excellent nonfiction retelling of the events of Operation Anthropoid (according to reviews)
HHhH by Laurent Binet (2012)
Historical fiction novel focusing on the lives of Operation Anthropoid’s two central players: Jan Kubiš and Josef Gabčík.
The Man with the Iron Heart by Harry Turtledove (2008)
Pure fiction, alternative history novel answering the question: “What would’ve happened if Heydrich had survived?”
More info for visiting the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague
- Hotels: Check out Booking.com for the best deals (though Expedia and Hotels.com usually have good offers too).
- My personal recommend: The fabulous K+K Hotel Central.
- Rental cars: Check out the best Prague rental car deals here.
- Travel planning: Pick up a Prague guidebook and this super useful (pocket-size) Czech customs and culture guide.
- What else to do in Prague? Check out these other awesome Prague experiences.
Like this post? Have questions about visiting the Operation Anthropoid memorial in Prague? Let me know in the comments below. Enjoy your time in the Czech Republic!
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It is also portrayed in its 1975 WWII film Operation Daybreak. Which tells the story about the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich on May 27,1942 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Now present-day capital of Czech Republic.
Oh thank you for letting me know! I haven’t seen that movie yet – I will check it out.
The door to the crypt is described as a ‘prism’. It is angled in such a way that walk into a darkening space. Pushing ahead in faith and does in fact give way, and is quite heavy. Due to it’s weight it closes firmly. When wishing to leave the crypt, the door looks to have no handles. However, as you slide you hand on the surface, inward the is a raised plate top to bottom of the door. The door itself looks flat, a hidden recess. Another reference to holding faith in fear that the note regarding the door suggest is the reasoning behind its unique structure and reference.
Very interesting! Thank you for that insight David. I’ll have to check that out again on my next visit.
‘Seven Men at Daybreak’ by Alan Burgess is perhaps one of the first English language books on this story, and in my opinion, one of the best. I think it was originally published around the late 1950’s before Operation Anthropoid was heard of by most people outside of (then) Czechoslovakia.
Awesome, thanks for the recommendation Stuart!
Your ‘guide’ was incredibly helpful, thank you very much. 🙂
Only one thing- as someone who has read both HHhH by Binet and owns the book ‘Heydrich: Dark Shadow of the SS’ by Max Williams, I’d say be careful while reading HHhH- a lot of it sounds like fiction and it’s easy to create a wrong picture. Fun book, but not necessarily 100% accurate, for that I’d advise the aforementioned book by M. Williams (if the focus is on all the participants or mostly on Heydrich, however if You’re only interested in the Czech resistance, or well, its heroes, HHhH will do)
Thank you Elizabeth! I definitely prefer reading non-fiction to get all the facts about historical events, but sometimes historical fiction is a nice change, that’s why I decided to include that one. Not everyone enjoys historical nonfiction as much as I do. 🙂 Thank you for your insight, that’s very helpful!
Hi,
The door to enter the crypt is the wing of a Spitfire aircraft.
Thank you George. I was able to find a few references that mentioned the door is a kind of artistic rendition of a Spitfire’s wing… but I still have a hard time putting that one together since it doesn’t really look like that? I need to investigate more. 🙂
I think “Operation Daybreak” with Anthony Andrews, Martin Shaw and the menacing Anton Diffring is the best of all the films in my opinion. It has a docu-history approach.
Thanks for the suggestion, Mark! I haven’t seen that one yet but I’ll check it out.
Proposal
The door to the crypt is a steel prism composed of two needles separated by a moving diagonal – an upright wing, dividing the space into “darkness and light”, “death and life”. The wing, whose streamlined shape is taken from a Spitfire aircraft, is simply pushed gently as you enter. Entry is easy, the movement gliding gracefully like air over the streamline shape of the wing. Both the wing and the walls of the passage have a black steel finish, similar to that of paratroopers’ weapons. When you enter, you have to remember the way back to freedom. The wing closes itself after entering the dungeon, leaving behind a seemingly impenetrable flat slab. As one attempts to exit, one is lured by the light emanating from the apparent direction of escape. But that light is a trap. One must reject the direction offered by the beam, swing the sash away from the wall, and leave the space in the opposite direction of the sash’s streamline curve. The needle of light is a symbol of a place from which there is no escape. The key is in the “refusal” of the offered light.
Thanks, Lukas. That’s definitely an explanation of it!
And one more thing. I recommend the Czechoslovak film “Assassination” from 1964. It can be found on youtube under “Atentát 1964”. No subtitles, unfortunately. There are some errors in the film, but it is still the most accurate depiction. Here in the Czech Republic it is a more popular and better rated movie than “Anthropoid” from 2016.
Thanks for the info, Lukas! I’ll keep that one in mind too.