Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral

"Designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer and Paul Ignaz Bayer it is a significant Baroque church built between 1730 and 1736 in Prague. Originally consecrated to St. Charles Borromeo, its interior features stunning frescoes by Jan Adam Schöpf, depicting scenes from the life of St. Charles. The elaborate stucco work was completed by Michele Ignazio Palliardi in 1739. Since 1935, the church has served the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church and became the seat of Orthodox Bishop Gorazd. The cathedral holds a pivotal place in Czech history, particularly due to its role during the Nazi occupation. It served as a hideout for paratroopers involved in the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia. Following the assassination, a manhunt ensued, and the paratroopers found themselves trapped within the church's confines. On June 18, 1942, SS and Gestapo officers surrounded the church, leading to a fierce battle. Outnumbered and outgunned, the paratroopers fought bravely but were ultimately overwhelmed. As they faced capture, they chose to take their own lives, using their last bullets. When the Nazis entered, they found five of the paratroopers dead, while two others succumbed to their injuries later. The repercussions of this event were severe; many who aided the paratroopers, including officials from the Orthodox Church, were executed, and the Orthodox Church was banned in September 1942. After World War II, St. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral was restored, and its crypt was opened to the public. In 1947, a bronze memorial plaque was installed in the crypt, listing the names of the fallen paratroopers and their protectors, serving as a tribute to their bravery. The church regained legal autonomy in 1951, eventually becoming a Metropolitan church, with services conducted in Church Slavonic, continuing its important role in the religious and cultural life of the Czech Republic."

"Mel says: A fascinating WWII story is shared inside this free one-room museum exhibit about the assassination of Nazi officer Reinhardt Heydrich during the war in Prague, by Czechoslovak resistance soldiers. The crypt beyond the exhibit is a memorial dedicated to those same soldiers, who were found and killed by the Nazis in that very room in 1942. Closed on Mondays."