The participation of the memorial this year is more than symbolic. This year's theme is: Architectural Heritage. “The memorial, as an iconic building from 1933 by František Lýdie Gahura, is an exceptional example of functionalism and progressive architectural thinking, but also an architectural tribute to an extraordinary personality – Tomáš Baťa, whose legacy fundamentally shaped the appearance of Zlín,” stated Martina Hladíková, Deputy Mayor of the city of Zlín for culture and education.
Free guided tours of the memorial will take place at regular intervals from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, starting every hour on the hour. Before the tour begins, it is only necessary to pick up a free ticket at the neighboring Info point at the memorial. Reservations for the tours can already be made through the website www.pamatnikbata.eu. Due to limited capacity, the organizers recommend taking advantage of this option.
The Tomáš Baťa Memorial is among buildings of global significance – this year it was included in a special edition of the leading Japanese architecture magazine Shinkenchiku, mapping 100 years of world architecture. “By participating in the European Heritage Days, we want to draw attention to this fact and present the memorial to visitors as an architectural landmark and a place associated with a significant story of our region,” added the head of the memorial, Magdaléna Hladká.
September is also the last month of the main tourist season for the memorial. It can be visited every day except Monday. From October 1, the opening hours will be limited to Fridays and weekends. This shortened schedule will last until the end of March. Larger groups can, however, arrange individual visits to the cultural monument outside of regular operating hours.
The European Heritage Days have been held regularly in the Czech Republic since 1991, always in September. Since 1998, the main guarantor of the event has been the Association of Historical Towns of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia, which always organizes the national opening in cooperation with one of the member towns. In 2025, the opening will take place in České Budějovice. The main guarantor's partners are the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic.
The Tomáš Baťa Memorial was built in 1933 as a tribute to the late founder of the shoe manufacturing concern. Architect František Lýdie Gahura imprinted Baťa's qualities and the fundamental principles of Baťa construction into this radical building. The centerpiece of the space is a faithful model of the Junkers F13 – the airplane in which the shoemaker Baťa and pilot Brouček ended their lives in 1932. Starting January 2025, a digital 3D model of Tomáš Baťa's gold pocket watch with augmented reality display capability will also be part of the tour.
