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Reliving history

Never heard of Slavkov? Maybe the town's German name, Austerlitz, rings a bell.

Facts

When

27/11/2009 - 29/11/2009

How Much

free event

Contacts

T. +420-541-148144
F. +420-541-148141
e-mail: info@austerlitz.org

Info


Austerlitz reenactment battle Dec. 1, 2007. Austrian infantry fusillade


Organisers

Projekt Austerlitz

Website
PO BOX 38, 616 00 Brno, Czech Republic
T: +420-541-148144
F: +420-541-148141
info@austerlitz.org

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If you played with toy soldiers when you were little, if you are a history buff, or if you are looking to see (and learn) something different while visiting the Czech Republic, head to the town of Slavkov near Brno. Slavkov? Never heard of it? Maybe the town's German name, Austerlitz, rings a bell. In 1805, the town's surroundings witnessed the Battle of the Three Emperors, also known simple as the Battle of Austerlitz.

It has been 204 years since the armies of Austria and Russia on the one side and France on the other met on December 2, 1805, for one of the major battles of the Napoleonic wars. In only nine hours, Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Russo-Austrian forces under the command of Tsar Alexander I. This year, the battle is commemorated with a series of events from 27 to 29 of November.

The main program, including a re-enactment of the battle, is scheduled for November 28. You can witness a military parade on the main square in Slavkov (Austerlitz), followed by the re-enactment. Some 800 "soldiers" (members of clubs and historical societies from all the corners of Europe) will participate in period uniforms and with period weapons.

The re-enactment will include the participation of forty horses and fifty cannons, and in the evening there will be a military parade and fireworks display (see the entire program here)

But not only the annual re-enactment commemorates that fateful day in 1805. An educational walking trail leads along the former battlefield, with information about the various places of engagement. The main sight is the mound called the Cairn of Peace, where you will find a multimedia exhibit entitled "The Battle of the Three Emperors – Slavkov/Austerlitz 1805".

In the town of Slavkov itself, you can also view the Slavkov Château, featuring an unusual "virtual battle" exhibit, where you can experience the battle in a virtual reality theater with audio commentary in five languages (Czech, English, French, German and Russian).

Another option for fans of military history: Also near Brno is the Army Park in Ořechov, the largest military museum in the Czech Republic. It is usually open from May to October, but on January 30, 2010, it will host a commemoration of the "Colmar Pocket" -a series of battles on the western front in 1944/45. Visitors can see a military camp from the era and see how soldiers fought in winter.

source: AToutPrague

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