Theresienstadt: Memorial Sites, History, and Visiting

• The ghetto was established in November 1941; the first transport arrived on November 24.
• The Small Fortress outside the town was a Gestapo prison from 1940 to 1945 and was not part of the ghetto.
• The Ghetto Museum and the Small Fortress have separate entrances and ticket offices.
• In 2026, the Small Fortress is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm from April to October, and from 9 am to 4 pm from November to March.
• The Ghetto Museum and former ghetto buildings are open daily year-round from 9 am to 5 pm.
• The four-day ticket costs CZK 310 for adults and allows one admission to each of the two main areas.

The garrison town and fortress were established in 1780 under Emperor Joseph II and named after Maria Theresa. In November 1941, the Nazi occupying authorities established a ghetto in the town. Jewish residents were stripped of their rights, confined in cramped quarters, and deported from there. The term “transit camp” describes only part of its function: Theresienstadt was also a place of imprisonment, forced labor, disease, and mass death.

Around 155,000 Jewish people were deported to the ghetto, including approximately 15,000 who were brought to Theresienstadt when other camps were evacuated. Around 35,000 died in the ghetto; about 83,000 more were killed elsewhere after being deported. Nazi propaganda presented Theresienstadt to foreign visitors as a supposedly orderly place to live, concealing the violence, hunger, and subsequent deportations.

Actor and director Kurt Gerron was deported to Theresienstadt in 1944 and forced to take part in a propaganda film. In October of that year, he was deported to Auschwitz and murdered. His biography is one of many individual stories told through exhibitions and memorial sites.

The Ghetto Museum is located within the former garrison town. Exhibitions and preserved buildings convey the living conditions in the ghetto and the experiences of deported children and adults. The Magdeburg Barracks and Jewish cemeteries in the town also commemorate the persecution.

The Small Fortress lies about one kilometer outside the town center. From 1940 to 1945, it served as a Gestapo police prison. Its prisoners included political opponents and resistance fighters from various countries. Cells, courtyards, and execution sites document the conditions of imprisonment. Both sites are part of the memorial, but they have different histories and locations.

The Small Fortress is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm from April to October, and from 9 am to 4 pm from November to March. The Ghetto Museum and other former ghetto buildings are open daily year-round from 9 am to 5 pm. The combined four-day ticket costs CZK 310 for adults, CZK 240 for children and young people aged 10 to 18, students, teachers, and seniors, and CZK 630 for a maximum of two adults and three children. Each area may be entered once. Tickets are available at separate ticket offices.

The Small Fortress and the Ghetto Museum are about one kilometer apart; allow half a day to a full day to visit both areas. For an overnight stay, see accommodation in Terezín. For your visit, check getting there and local transport as well as the routes to the Ghetto Museum and the Small Fortress outside the town; valid travel documents and confirmed booking details are part of your personal travel preparations.

Many visitors reach the memorial from Prague. On a longer route through Central Bohemia, Mělník and Kutná Hora offer distinctive historic townscapes; farther west are Pilsen and Karlovy Vary. Pardubice and Hradec Králové offer further city stays in East Bohemia, while Mariánské Lázně is a destination for a stay in a West Bohemian spa town. Regional events in the Czech Republic can provide an additional reason to take a trip.

For a tour with several overnight stays, Prague, Mělník, and Kutná Hora can be combined as individual places to stay. A route farther west can include Pilsen, Karlovy Vary, and Mariánské Lázně; in the east, Pardubice and Hradec Králové make additional stops. Nationwide events can help you choose when to go.

What is the difference between the ghetto and the Small Fortress?

The ghetto was established in the town in 1941 and was intended for Jewish deportees. The Small Fortress outside the town had already been a Gestapo prison since 1940.

How long is the combined ticket valid?

The combined ticket is valid for four days and allows one admission to the Small Fortress and one to the former ghetto buildings.

Is the Small Fortress open in winter?

Yes. In 2026, it is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm from November to March; the Ghetto Museum and former ghetto buildings are open daily year-round from 9 am to 5 pm.

For what group size is advance booking of a guided tour required?

Groups of ten or more need to book a guided tour in advance. This makes it possible to organize visits to the exhibitions and the two separate areas appropriately.