Památník Velké Moravy

Památník Velké Moravy (the Great Moravia Memorial) in Staré Město sits directly above the foundations of the "Na Valách" church — the first Great Moravian-era stone building ever discovered and confirmed on Czech territory. Together with nearby sites in Uherské Hradiště and Modrá, it forms a National Cultural Monument since 1969, protected as a "collection of remains of the Great Moravian settlement agglomeration."

What's inside?

The site is split into three exhibitions that walk visitors through different layers of regional history. The main show, Velká Morava, covers key moments in the history of the Great Moravian state and everyday life on a Slavic hillfort — settlement layout, crafts, and social organization. On display are replicas of period clothing, footwear, jewelry, and tools, based on more than a century of archaeological research carried out in Staré Město.

The second exhibition, The Story of Constantine and Methodius, is a multimedia account of the two brothers from Thessaloniki who stood at the beginning of Slavic literacy and brought Slavic-language liturgy to Moravia. A third exhibition, Prehistoric Uherskohradišťsko, goes further back, tracing the oldest traces of settlement in the region before the Great Moravian period.

The Cyrilometodějské centrum extension

In 2022 the memorial gained a modern extension, the Cyrilometodějské centrum (Cyril and Methodius Centre). Besides housing the two multimedia exhibitions mentioned above, it contains an archaeological workshop, storage depositories, and a lab space where finds are processed. That means the site combines a museum function with an active research facility — part of the scientific work happens literally behind glass, visible to visitors as it unfolds.

How to get there?

The memorial sits in Staré Město, right next to Uherské Hradiště, in the heart of the Slovácko region. It's operated by the Slovácké muzeum, so a ticket here can often be combined with other exhibitions the museum runs across the area. The location works well if you're following the wider Great Moravian trail, which also includes the open-air archaeological site in Modrá with its reconstructed church and hillfort.

When to visit?

The exhibition runs year-round, though it's worth checking current opening hours before a visit since they can shift seasonally. Because the exhibitions are largely multimedia and indoors, the site works equally well on a sunny or a rainy day. Families with children may particularly enjoy the narrative built around a fictional archaeologist character, which frames the main exhibition.

A short history of the building

The memorial building itself was constructed in 1959–1960 above the newly discovered foundations of the Na Valách church. It partially opened in 1961, but technical problems and an unconvincing presentation of the archaeological finds led to its closure by 1964. Only later renovations — and ultimately the 2022 extension with the Cyrilometodějské centrum — gave the site the comprehensive shape it has today.

Frequently asked questions

What is Památník Velké Moravy? It's an archaeological museum in Staré Město, built above the foundations of the Na Valách church — the first confirmed Great Moravian stone building in the Czech Republic. It's run by the Slovácké muzeum.

How many exhibitions can you see there? Three: Velká Morava (history of the Great Moravian state), The Story of Constantine and Methodius (a multimedia account of the two brothers), and Prehistoric Uherskohradišťsko (the region's oldest settlement history).

What is the Cyrilometodějské centrum? It's an extension opened in 2022 that combines exhibition space with an archaeological workshop and collection depositories.

Who is this place for? Anyone interested in Slavic history and the early Czech statehood, as well as families — thanks to the narrative, multimedia format of the exhibitions.