house of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk

The house of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk stands in Čejkovice, a village in South Moravia's Hodonín district, where the future first president of Czechoslovakia spent part of his childhood. Today the modest building holds a permanent exhibition tracing his life and his personal ties to the village.

Why is this house connected to Masaryk?

Masaryk was born in 1850 in nearby Hodonín, and in 1856, at the age of six, his family moved to Čejkovice. He stayed for six formative years, attending the local school and, by his own later account, spending time reading in the library of the village chateau. It was here that he developed the habits of curiosity and self-directed learning that would later carry him to university and eventually into politics and the presidency. Masaryk returned to Čejkovice once more in 1864–65, this time as a young assistant teacher at the local school. Brief as that second stay was, it cemented the village's place in local memory as somewhere the future president considered a second home.

How did the house survive to the present day?

The building where the Masaryk family lived stood neglected for decades and came close to being torn down. It was saved through the efforts of Čejkovice residents, the local municipal office, and an agricultural cooperative, who worked together to repair and preserve it for future generations. A terracotta memorial plaque marking Masaryk's connection to the house was mounted on its facade back in 1933. In 2018 the building and its exhibition underwent a thorough renovation, bringing both the house and its displays up to a modern standard.

What can you see inside?

Inside, visitors find a permanent exhibition devoted to the life of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk — from his childhood years in Čejkovice, through his time as a student and later as a teacher, to his role as a founding figure of independent Czechoslovakia. The exhibition is small and locally focused, which makes it a fitting complement to larger Masaryk museums elsewhere: it fills in a lesser-known, provincial chapter of his biography.

How to get there and when to visit?

Čejkovice sits in South Moravia close to Hodonín, Masaryk's birthplace, so the two can easily be combined into a single trip tracing the president's early life. The area is also known for its vineyards and winemaking traditions, so a visit to the house pairs well with a stop at a local wine cellar or tasting room. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons, when the weather suits walking through the village and the surrounding hills.

Frequently asked questions

How long did Masaryk live in Čejkovice? He arrived at age six in 1856 and stayed for six years, attending the village school and using the chateau library.

Did Masaryk return to Čejkovice as an adult? Yes, he worked briefly there in 1864–65 as an assistant teacher at the local school.

Since when has the house been marked as a memorial site? A terracotta memorial plaque was placed on the building in 1933.

Has the building been renovated? Yes, after years of neglect the house and its exhibition were thoroughly restored in 2018.