A Stone Age Archeological Site Becomes a Beautiful Museum in CEMEX Concrete

CEMEX supplied white ready-mix concrete and prefabricated elements among other specialty products for Archeopark Pavlov, located on a UNESCO biosphere reserve in the Czech Republic.

Europe has no shortage of interesting museums, but one of the most unique is located under the green hills of Pálava, in the Czech Republic, with only a few towers protruding from the landscape as a hint of what lies underneath. Pálava is an IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) landscape protected area and UNESCO biosphere reserve on the border with Austria that was originally settled in prehistoric times and has since yielded a large number of archeological artifacts. CEMEX supplied concrete and special products for Archeopark Pavlov, the museum built on this important archeological site to teach visitors about this period in time.

Most of the building is underground and the aforementioned towers provide the only natural light, giving the feeling of entering a prehistoric cave. The archeological site and its artifacts, including skeletons, were integrated into the design of the building, requiring meticulous coordination between the archeologists, designer, contractor and suppliers. The resulting single-floor building includes training premises, a cinema and two galleries for individual exhibits.

In addition to respecting the treasure underneath, the building was also designed to seamlessly blend into the external landscape. CEMEX technologists worked closely with the client to design a concrete mix that would allude to the limestone rock formations that Pálava is known for. Since it was important to maintain a uniform color, a CEMEX Chief Technologist remained onsite to supervise the placement of concretes for the towers as well as the entrance’s monolithic walls that transition into prefabricated elements with holes in the shape of mammoth tusks.

The special site called for other special concretes specifically chosen for their particular functions. The walls were internally and externally reinforced with a CEMEX architectural concrete that was carefully textured to look like wooden boards. CEMEX also supplied an impermeable concrete for the underground structure and two different types of foam concrete for the floors. CEMEX foam concretes are often used to create steady base layers, even on irregular surfaces like one would find in a hillside museum. The light material is self-leveling, compensating for any surface irregularities, and because it is breathable, it is also less prone to mold compared to other materials. Due to the building’s complex geometric layout and atypical elements, CEMEX frequently modified the water content in the concrete mix designs as needed.

Today, the museum is open to the public and layers of findings from the Stone Age have been preserved, uncovered, as an integral part of the building. Anyone interested in history can now visit the unique Archeopark Pavlov to learn about the landscape, way of living, hunting, rituals, life and death of the people of Pálava, thousands of years ago.

CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high quality products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than 50 countries. Celebrating its 110th anniversary, CEMEX has a rich history of improving the well-being of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future.