New Prague exhibition traces the evolution of Czech state symbols

President Petr Pavel opened a permanent exhibition charting the history of Czech and Czechoslovak state symbols at Prague’s National Memorial on Vítkov Hill on Monday.

Symbols of Statehood presents early designs for the Czechoslovak flag, banners hidden during the Nazi occupation and an authentic flag from the Warsaw Pact invasion of 1968.

“Pride in national symbols is something natural and healthy,” Pavel said at the opening. “The national flag and coat of arms belong to everyone without exception. They are a point of reference to which we return.”

One of the exhibition’s principal artifacts is an early Czechoslovak banner designed in Rome by Milan Rastislav Štefánik, a founder of the state, before Czechoslovakia officially came into existence.

Pavel recently brought the flag back to Czechia himself.

Visitors can also see original, and sometimes surprising, graphic proposals showing how the modern Czech flag developed during the interwar period.

Among the heraldic exhibits is a medieval stone coat of arms featuring the Czech lion, carved for St. Vitus Cathedral by the workshop of architect Petr Parléř. Official versions of Czechoslovakia’s large and small coats of arms from 1918 are also displayed.

Rare printed materials include some of the first official copies of the Czechoslovak Constitution.

Pavel said state symbols represent sovereignty, historical memory and responsibility toward the country.

He recalled the use of Czechoslovak flags by legionnaires and Royal Air Force pilots, as well as their presence during the Prague Uprising, the 1968 invasion and the Velvet Revolution in November 1989.

The president also warned that some politicians invoke national symbols while ultimately harming the country.

The exhibition uses contemporary presentation technology, including printing directly onto glass and walls. It forms part of a broader transformation of the Vítkov memorial intended to reconnect the landmark with its original role during interwar Czechoslovakia.