Památník předešlým starostům

Mayors' Park (Czech: Park starostů) is a small but unusual memorial in the southern part of the village of Tuchoraz, near the local hillfort, in the Central Bohemian Region. Unlike most village memorials, which commemorate wars, saints or a single notable figure, this one is dedicated entirely to the people who governed the municipality over more than a century: its succession of mayors and chairmen of the local national committee.

When was the memorial built?

The core of the current site is a monument erected in 1970, during the normalization period in Czechoslovakia. Its original message was openly political, carrying a plaque referencing the anniversary of Czechoslovak statehood and friendship with the Soviet people. In 2025 the whole area underwent a complete revitalization costing roughly 100,000 Czech crowns. The old ideological plaque was replaced with a new design focused not on politics but on the history of the village and its self-government.

What does the memorial look like?

The site is arranged in a circle, with a tall natural stone block set on a new granite base at its center. Two dark, polished granite plaques are mounted on its front face. The upper plaque displays the Tuchoraz village emblem alongside the year 1295, the earliest known written mention of the village. The lower plaque carries a dedication to the memory of all former mayors of the Tuchoraz municipality, honoring the work and dedication that contributed to the village's development. Around the central stone, arranged in a regular circle, stand a series of smaller stones bearing the names and terms of office of individual village representatives, spanning from the 1920s through 1970 - from the First Republic era, through the postwar years, to the period of local national committees. The memorial combines natural stone, granite, concrete and metal plaques.

Who is honored here?

The names on the surrounding stones include mayors who held office during the interwar period as well as postwar chairmen of the local national committee, who led the municipality's affairs up to 1970. No single figure is singled out for special treatment - each representative is marked by an identical stone, underlining the idea of continuity in local governance regardless of the political system of the time.

Why is this site unusual?

Mayors' Park has no equivalent elsewhere in the Kolín region. While most municipal memorials mark wartime events, religious tradition or a single prominent individual, the Tuchoraz memorial pays tribute to the people who handled the day-to-day administration, economy and infrastructure of a small village across decades. The site is freely accessible year-round and is not officially protected as a heritage monument. Tuchoraz itself is a small village of under 730 residents, located about 3 km southwest of Český Brod, with a history documented since at least 1295 and long-standing agricultural and horticultural traditions.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Mayors' Park located?

In the southern part of the village of Tuchoraz, near the local hillfort, in the Central Bohemian Region, about 3 km southwest of Český Brod.

When was the memorial built and has it changed over time?

The original monument was erected in 1970 with an overtly political message typical of the era. It was fully revitalized in 2025, when the ideological plaque was replaced with content focused on the history of local self-government.

Who does the memorial commemorate?

The succession of mayors and chairmen of the local national committee of Tuchoraz who held office from the 1920s until 1970.

What materials was the memorial made from?

Natural stone, granite, concrete and metal plaques - a central stone block stands on a granite base, surrounded by a circle of smaller stones bearing names.

Is the memorial a legally protected heritage site?

No, Mayors' Park is not listed as a protected monument, but it remains freely accessible to visitors year-round.