Prague Museum Unveils Stunning Replica of WWII Bell Lost in Historic Uprising
The Prague Museum is set to launch an extraordinary exhibition commemorating 80 years since the Prague Uprising, which took place at the conclusion of World War II.
The main highlight of the exhibition is the original fragments of the Old Town Hall bell, which was destroyed in 1945, paired with a recreation of its authentic sound.
This exhibition will open its doors free of charge on May 5 and can be found on the ground floor of the Old Town Hall.
Among the display items are preserved sections of the bell from the 14th century, a scaled model created from 3D-scanned pieces, and an audio representation of how the bell likely resonated before it was silenced by the war.
This special exhibition is part of a larger memorial initiative celebrating the 80th anniversary of the uprising in 1945, which will also include commemorative activities, lectures, and a public procession through the heart of Prague.
Within the museum’s collection were 46 preserved fragments of the bell that was lost. These pieces underwent careful 3D scanning technology and were subsequently printed at a quarter of their original size.
By partnering with a local Czech bell foundry, researchers successfully reconstructed both the bell’s shape and its tone.
The recreated sound of the bell will be publicly played for the first time during a commemorative event on May 5, 2025, and again on May 8 at 4:00 p.m., which coincides with the moment the bell stopped ringing in 1945.
Memorial Events Throughout the City
To honor the uprising, the museum will host a memorial march on May 5, starting from the National Theatre and leading to Old Town Square. This route will pass through three significant barricade locations: Národní třída, the Estates Theatre, and Železná Street.
Later in the afternoon and into the evening, the names of 3,000 individuals who lost their lives during the Prague Uprising will be publicly read on Old Town Square as part of a remembrance event.
A comprehensive schedule of all activities planned for the anniversary is available at prazske-povstani.cz.
A Brief Overview of the Prague Uprising
The Prague Uprising commenced on May 5, 1945, just days before World War II ended in Europe. Czech resistance fighters executed a coordinated plan to liberate the city from Nazi control. They successfully forced the German garrison to capitulate, minimizing further civilian fatalities, and hastened the arrival of the Red Army.
Unfortunately, the subsequent communist regime obscured much of this history. General Karel Kutlvašr, the leader of the uprising, was later sentenced to life imprisonment, and numerous others involved faced persecution after the February 1948 Communist coup.
