About this place
The Memorial to General Valhubert in Tyršův sad is a small but pointed monument tucked into one of Brno's central parks, marking the memory of a French general who died in the Battle of Slavkov, better known internationally as the Battle of Austerlitz, in 1805. Set in a quiet corner of greenery on Kounicova street, away from the city's main sightseeing routes, it is one of the few spots in Brno that ties the city directly to the events of Napoleon's 1805 campaign.
Where is the memorial, and what is Tyršův sad?
The memorial stands in Tyršův sad, a municipal park in the Brno-Veveří district, at Kounicova 14–16. Part of the park was laid out on the grounds of a former municipal cemetery, which was closed in 1883 — a detail that matters for the memorial's own story, since that cemetery is where the general's remains were originally buried.
Who was the general the memorial honors?
The inscription is dedicated to Roger Valhubert (1764–1805), a French general killed on 2 December 1805 during the Battle of Slavkov, fought near Brno and remembered today as one of the defining engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. After his death he was buried in Brno's municipal cemetery of the time. When that cemetery was closed in 1883, his remains were exhumed and transferred to France.
What does the memorial look like, and what does the inscription say?
The memorial takes the form of a slanted block of grey polished granite, engraved with a black bilingual inscription in French and Czech. The French text reads: "Au brave général Roger Valhubert tombé dans la bataille d'Austerlitz le 2 décembre 1805," matched by the Czech: "Hrdinnému generálu Rogeru Valhubertovi padlému v bitvě u Slavkova 2. prosince 1805." Both versions carry the same message — tribute to a general who fell in battle on 2 December 1805.
When was it built, and by whom?
The memorial was unveiled in 1969, created by Miloš Zvěřina. It was placed nearly a century and a half after the battle itself, as a lasting marker of a figure tied to the city's history rather than as a relic from the Napoleonic era.
Why is it worth seeking out?
For visitors interested in the Napoleonic Wars and the Battle of Austerlitz, this memorial offers something beyond the battlefield site at Slavkov itself. It shows how the events of December 1805 left a direct mark on Brno, a city through which the wounded and the dead from the fighting nearby passed in the battle's aftermath. The bilingual inscription also underlines the shared French-Czech dimension of that memory.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is the Memorial to General Valhubert?
In Tyršův sad park in Brno, at Kounicova 14–16, in the Brno-Veveří district.
Who was General Valhubert?
A French general (1764–1805) killed on 2 December 1805 in the Battle of Slavkov, known as the Battle of Austerlitz.
When was the memorial built, and who designed it?
It was unveiled in 1969; its author was Miloš Zvěřina.
What is the memorial made of?
A slanted block of grey polished granite with a black engraved inscription.
What does the inscription say?
A bilingual French and Czech text honoring the general who fell in battle on 2 December 1805.
Are the general's remains still in Brno?
No. He was originally buried in Brno's municipal cemetery, but after it closed in 1883 his remains were exhumed and moved to France.
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