Cathedral of St. Cyril & Methodius (Pravoslavný chrám svatých Cyrila a Metoděje), Prague

It is a great place. You have to see it. We went there in summer and it was perfect time to go. Enjoy your trip.

My first knowledge of the heroism of the Czech paratroopers who assasinated Reinhard Heydrich was when I saw the movie "Operation Daybreak" in 1988. Therefore, before I went to Prague in May, 2007 I bought and read "Seven Men at Daybreak" by Alan Burgess and "The Killing of Reinhard Heydrich" by Donald MacCallum, both of which give graphic details of the assasination of the "Butcher of Prague", and the bloodbath unleashed by the occupying Nazi regime in reprisal. I spent more than an hour in the crypt of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and sat down and silently contemplated the sacrifice made by hundreds of brave men, women, and even children, in protecting the seven paratroopers who hid in the church. The memorial is dedicated not only to the paratroopers, especially Jan Kubis, Jozef Gabcik and Josef Valcik who actually took part in the assasination, but also to these brave Czechs, the Bishop of the church and members of the administration of the church, and to more than 3000 other innocent Czechs who were slaughtered in the bloodbath that followed. I was disappointed that during the entire time I spent in the memorial there was just one other visitor. How I wish the present generation of Czechs is made conscious and aware of the sacrifices of their forefathers in bringing them the freedom and liberty which the now enjoy! History has been cruel to the Czech nation. First under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, then under the Nazi jackboot, and last but not least, under Communism. It is only during the last two decades or so that they are really free. My regret is that I did not visit the village of Lidice whose population was wiped out, and the village itself razed to the ground, by the Gestapo in reprisal for the killing of Heydrich. The church, Lidice, and the memorial to the martyrs in the Kobilisy district(which too I did not see)should be on any tourists itenerary in Prague

I loved this memorial. I loved how informative, honest, and respectful it was. I had never heard about the Heydrich Terror before planning the trip. It was the first place my mom and I visited once we were in Prague and it was a good place to start. Prague is full of fun, but it is recommended that see Prague's more serious side first. It really just made us respect the city and its people all the more.

"Was the experience fun ?" Well, fun isn't really the word. Was it worthwhile and interesting ? Definitely. This small museum is part of the Orthodox Church of Cyril and Methodius (formerly Karel Boromejsky), and commemorates the seven very brave men who hid-and died- here in the aftermath of Heydrich's assassination in 1942. A display of photographs and other objects, captioned in both Czech and English, tells this dramatic story. Then you go into the crypt itself. This is where some of the men hid for two weeks and where four of them used their last bullets on themselves after a six-hour battle with the S.S. outside.It has been kept much as it was that day-you can see where they attempted to tunnel out into the sewage system, and the steps that the S.S. finally came down when it was all over.There is also a photographic display here of the courageous Resistance families who had harboured the men and who were later murdered in concentration camps. No, it is not fun. But it's worth doing, if only to remind yourselves how far Prague has come since those dark days. It costs a mere 60 crowns for an adult and is open every day except Mondays. In a sense it is a shrine, and I noticed someone had placed some beautiful sunflowers there.