In Přerov, a memorial was opened commemorating Comenius's stay

Přerov - A memorial of the Unity of the Brethren opened in Přerov this evening. An outdoor exhibition commemorating the stay of Jan Amos Comenius in the city has been established at the site of archaeological finds of Central European significance, which ultimately led to the inclusion of this location called Na Marku on the list of cultural monuments. The exhibition was built at a cost of 1.5 million crowns. The city hopes that it will attract tourists interested in the history of Přerov.

The memorial's space was filling up already in the afternoon. Families with children came to see it as well. "I really like it; it's a memorial place. I'm very glad they did this; it's a commendable effort. Since Přerov has such a history, it's good that it shows it," said one of the first visitors, Zdena Janošová from Přerov, to ČTK today.

Archaeologists worked at the site in 2012 and 2013 when they managed to uncover the foundations of the spiritual center of the Unity of the Brethren, which included not only a prayer hall and a unique Renaissance path but also a house with a school where Comenius taught from 1614. "During those years when we conducted extensive archaeological research here, there was a huge euphoria and excitement. Generations of local researchers, historians, and archaeologists longed for the localization of the original center of the Unity of the Brethren. We succeeded in those years," said archaeologist Zdeněk Schenk to ČTK. "It was an archaeological discovery of Central European significance, related to the work of one of the greatest scholars of 17th-century Europe, who was undoubtedly Jan Amos Comenius," Schenk added.

His colleague Jan Mikulík described the period captured by the memorial as the Renaissance flourishing of Přerov. "We are pleased about this; it is, in fact, the first archaeological presentation in Přerov. We are simply awaiting feedback and how the public will respond," Mikulík told ČTK.

The most interesting feature of the memorial is the uncovered historical path, which provided access to the school. People can thus walk in the footsteps that Comenius took about 400 years ago. The memorial also includes a historical model of the spiritual center of the Unity of the Brethren and replicas of the most significant finds uncovered by archaeologists. Inside the memorial, texts about the history of this place, the activities of members of the Unity of the Brethren, including native Jan Blahoslav, and the work of Jan Amos Comenius are installed. The area also marks the layout of the Renaissance Church of St. Mark, which, along with the adjacent school of the Unity of the Brethren, constituted the spiritual center of Přerov.

The unique finds of Přerov's archaeologists aspired to be awarded the Find of the Year, were nominated for the Patrimonium pro futuro award from the National Heritage Institute, and the location ultimately made it onto the list of cultural monuments due to the finds.

At the site known as Na Marku, a gymnasium stood since 1897, later a cinema, which was demolished in the 1980s. The last plans related to this location spoke of building a parking lot. This was still considered in 2012. However, due to the discovery of significant archaeological finds, the town hall ultimately withdrew from these plans.