Czech Hall of Fame offers a glimpse into the nation’s iconic hockey moments

  • Czech Hall of Fame offers a glimpse into the nation’s iconic hockey moments
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Historic hockey trophies, medals, and iconic sports gear—these are just some of the artefacts on display at the Czech Hockey Hall of Fame. Located on Prague’s Nekázanka Street in the heart of the city, the Hall reopened last year, showcasing the sport’s greatest moments, with each item telling its own unique story.

Photo: Jolana Nováková,  Czech Radio

Every hockey enthusiast visiting Prague should stop at the Hall of Fame, which officially opened last May, just three days before the World Ice Hockey Championships began in Prague and Ostrava. In the first part of the Hall of Fame, visitors enter the so-called Golden Temple of Hockey, as Bedřich Ščerban, the Hall’s manager and former defenceman, explains:

“This first part is the so-called Golden Temple of Hockey. Illuminated in gold are the plaques of all the players who are members of the Hall of Fame. For instance here, you can see plaques of those who played in the 1970 Canada Cup in Montreal, and you can look up both the players and the events.”

Photo: Jolana Nováková,  Czech Radio

Recent additions to the Czech Hall of Fame include Petr Svoboda, the golden goal scorer at the Nagano Olympics, former star forward Petr Nedvěd, and renowned sports commentator Petr Vichnar. To date, 153 members have been inducted.

Also on display is the prestigious Golden Hockey Stick trophy, awarded annually to the best Czech hockey player. Bedřich Ščerban himself won the award, depicting a player holding a hockey stick high in a “victory” gesture, in 1991:

Photo: Jolana Nováková,  Czech Radio

“The Golden Hockey Stick weighs about 36 kilos, so it's actually not that easy to lift above your head. Most of the time, it stays here. It is only taken out for the ceremony and then brought back. It is the second-highest honour a player can receive in Czechia. The greatest honour is being inducted into the Hall of Fame—that’s a lifetime achievement.”

In the second section of the hall, visitors will find a wall signed by legendary players, along with interactive features like a hockey-themed memory game, quizzes, and puzzles. This area is dedicated to Czech hockey’s history, with exhibits dating to the sport’s early history, as Mr. Ščerban explains:

Photo: Jolana Nováková,  Czech Radio

“Thanks to cooperation with the National Museum, we have artefacts from the sport’s beginnings, dating from around 1911 to 1920.  Here you can see the skates of Mr. Miroslav Vlach [who won a bronze medal at the 1964 Winter Olympics] and here are some early protective pads, which might look amusing today—I can't imagine anyone playing with those now.”

Photo: Jolana Nováková,  Czech Radio

Among the rare exhibits is an application written by sports promoter Emil Procházka on 11th November 1908, requesting the establishment of a Czech Ice Hockey Association. Eight days later, the statutes were approved, and by 19th November, the association was officially recognized. The founding general assembly took place on 11th December 1908, with representatives of 11 clubs meeting at Prague’s Platýz restaurant.

The Czech Hockey Hall of Fame, which also features temporary exhibitions and a multimedia space, is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm. For those who cannot visit the Czech capital, a digital Hall of Fame has also been launched.

Photo: Jolana Nováková,  Czech Radio
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Authors: Ruth Fraňková , Jolana Nováková
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