Expozice kamenictví v Mrákotíně

About the museum

Stone has been quarried around Mrákotín since time immemorial, but organised quarrying is documented from the 1870s. The local stonemasons achieved their greatest fame in the 1920s. Mrákotín granite is among the high-quality granites in Europe, which is why a monolith for Prague Castle was also made from it. According to the architect Josip Plečnik, a stone 20 metres long was supposed to be produced, but it broke on the way to Prague; a second monolith, 15.6 metres high, was transported to Prague and erected in the Third Courtyard of the Castle.

The exhibition was created in honour of the stonemasons and opened on 1 September 2012 in the building of the market-town office, as part of the project Regionem renesance nejen po stopách historie. Visitors learn about the history of the market town and of stonemasonry, the production and transport of the monolith, and the making of a large stone roller.

Hand and machine tools, the equipment of geologists and the tools of the shot-firers are displayed in illuminated cases. The most valuable item is a wooden shelter under which the stonemasons worked the stone; it was dismantled directly in the quarry and reassembled in the exhibition. The tour is complemented by panels about the market town and the stonemason’s trade, a period film about the transport of the monolith, and an empty noticeboard to which visitors can add their own exhibits.

Highlights

• Authentic stonemason’s shelter with tools and personal belongings
• The story of the monolith for Prague Castle
• Hand and machine stonemason’s tools in illuminated cases
• Period film about the transport of the monolith to Prague
• Panels on the history of the market town and the stonemason’s trade

Permanent exhibition

• Expozice kamenictví – Exhibition on the quarrying and processing of Mrákotín granite, the transport of the monolith to Prague Castle and the work of the stonemasons, including the original wooden shelter with tools.

Founded

2012

Operated by

Městys Mrákotín

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is voluntary. There is a donation box in the exhibition for contributions, which will be used to extend the exhibition further.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The exhibition is in the building of the market-town office on the square in Mrákotín.

Amenities & dining

A toilet is available for visitors. A tourist visiting card (turistická vizitka) can be bought at the market-town office.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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