The Lapidarium of the East Bohemia Museum in Pardubice is one of over 40 sub-collections managed by this institution. Although small in size, this collection of stone and related materials includes a range of fascinating architectural, artistic, and commemorative relics spanning a long period from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.
The core of the exhibition consists of artifacts from the 16th and 17th centuries, including not only terracotta building elements from the time of the Pernštejn family, represented by parts of window and door frames, but also a collection of early modern tombstones of minor nobles, mostly officials of the Pardubice estate, and their family members. Most of these tombstones come from the abolished town cemetery at the Church of St. John the Baptist. Visitors can also view fragments of Romanesque architecture from sacred sites associated with the defunct Opatovice Monastery, as well as memorial or tomb plaques commemorating significant events and figures from Pardubice's recent past. The collection also contains some hard-to-classify items whose exact dating and origin remain uncertain.
The museum acquired these items in various ways throughout its history. The first acquisitions were tied to the activities of the Pardubice Museum Society at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Some pieces come from archaeological excavations, while most were obtained during the reconstruction or demolition of sites and buildings in the 20th and early 21st centuries. The Lapidarium also serves as an open depository.
