Terezín: Fortress, Memorial and Historic Memorial Sites

Terezín combines an exceptional fortress complex with a multifaceted history of remembrance. When choosing a hotel, it may therefore be important to first decide what you would like to focus on during your stay: the historic fortress, the Memorial and its memorial sites, or both. Sightseeing options include exhibitions, guided tours, and visits with a printed guide or audio guide. The stated tour durations can help you estimate how much time to allow.

Fortress and Casemates

The Terezín Fortress lies at the confluence of the Labe (Elbe) and Ohře (Eger) rivers. Set in open countryside, it stands as a distinctive technical and urban monument. It was built between 1780 and 1790 to defend the route from Dresden to Prague. It represents the culmination of three centuries of development in European bastion fortifications.

The Fortress Museum and Information Centre presents its history in seven vaulted casemate rooms. The exhibition spans the period from the Theresian era to the First World War. Guided tours with historic lanterns offer a different perspective, allowing visitors to explore the fortress and its underground passages. The historical account in the casemates and the exploration of the underground passages thus offer two distinct ways to experience the fortress.

The Memorial and Historical Tours

The Terezín Memorial was established in 1947 to commemorate the suffering and victims of the Terezín Ghetto, the Terezín Police Prison in the Small Fortress, and the Litoměřice concentration camp. The Small Fortress served as a Gestapo police prison for patriots and members of resistance organisations from the Czech lands and other regions.

The guided tour of the Small Fortress lasts 70 minutes and also includes an independent visit to the Small Fortress Museum and the cinema hall. The guided tour of the former Terezín Ghetto lasts 120 minutes. The two tours therefore differ both in their focus and in the time required. Check the time information before your trip when planning your visits.

National Cemetery and Memorial Days

The National Cemetery in front of the Small Fortress was established in September 1945 for the remains of prisoners exhumed from mass graves in the Small Fortress. The remains of about 10,000 people rest there. Since 1946, a memorial ceremony has been held at the National Cemetery every year on the third Sunday in May. If you would like to plan your visit around this memorial day, the recurring date is a useful guide; check the specific event dates before your trip.

Jewish Cemetery and Central Mortuary

The Jewish Cemetery and crematorium were established in December 1941 in the Bohušovice depression between Terezín and Bohušovice nad Ohří. Until early October 1942, the cemetery was used to bury Jewish victims from the ghetto. The cemetery is visited throughout the year; gatherings and prayers are held there on Jewish memorial days.

An exhibition in the Central Mortuary of the former ghetto shows burial practices in the ghetto. On display are historic coffins, a hearse and replicas of the tables on which the dead were washed. The Central Mortuary, in its current form, was opened to the public in October 2001. As this date refers to a historical opening, check current visiting arrangements before your visit.

You can visit all the Memorial buildings with a printed guide or audio guide without making a reservation in advance. This option provides an independent complement to the guided tours and exhibitions. Together with the different historical themes, it can help you plan the focus of your stay in Terezín.

Discover more destinations: Roudnice Nad Labem, Lipá, Ploskovice, Židovice Nad Labem, Mnetěš, Náčkovice, Čížkovice, Vrutice.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Litoměřice.