Marielle F., Author at Prague Morning

An invite-only venue named Casa Eminente is parallel to a gorgeous secret hideaway bar in the heart of Prague.

Casa Eminente’s address is not accessible through search engines – it’s solely through an invitation that people can access this one-of-a-kind location. Its exclusivity and mystery make it very attractive.

At Casa Eminente you can taste premium spirits rum from Moët Hennesy. The star is however the Cuban premium rum Eminente, brought from the heart of the Caribbean island to the Czech Republic by Moët.

This rum embodied the dream of César Martí, the youngest rum master in the history of Cuba. Thanks to his strong determination and skill in the craft, Martí created a new type of rum that combines the richness and depth of taste of traditional rum production from the 19th century.

In addition, Eminente is one of the few Cuban rums to have received the requested status of “Denominación de Origen Protegida” from the Cuban Regulatory Board.

Moreover, a selected few can indulge in tropical drinks, food that complements their cocktails, and music. Additionally, during the summer, the interior is covered by a green and lush terrace.

Casa Eminente was created by Ingrid V. Lermen and her studio Intra Muros. It was her experience with Latin American and Hispanic culture that inspired her to emulate similar aesthetics and atmosphere.

“In Brazil and Cuba, I enjoy how heartfelt people are. I, therefore, tried to get a friendly atmosphere between the walls of Casa Eminente.”

According to her, the beauty of the venue lies in the vintage and old-feel of the objects that decorate the whole place.

The venue has been designed by using raw wood, giving it a natural look. A crystal chandelier hangs above the bar, and a huge mirror has been installed behind the counter.

Classic art-deco seats in teal color are set up across the venue. Casa Eminente wants the visitor to feel like they’re in Havana – and it succeeds.

casa eminente

Prague 3 decided to fight cigarette pollution in a creative way. In the past few days, the City Hall has created and installed ten unique ashtrays.

The ashtrays are in the form of cigarettes – and they’re huge. The move was inspired by a similar project in Vienna, which had been running for several years already.

The prototype for the large cigarette ashtrays was made by Jaromír Frek. “I wouldn’t say the production was demanding. We did two versions, one pilot and one final. We were tinging paint and adjusting technical things,” he says.

The ultimate aim is to get people to throw the cigarette butts in the ashtrays, instead of leaving them on the ground. “Cigarette butts are garbage like any other and do not belong in public space. Cleaning from some surfaces is practically impossible,” explains Jiří Ptáček, mayor of Prague 3. A loose cigarette butt only decomposes in 15 years.

If the project is successful, the cigarette ashtrays will be installed in more locations.

A total of ten ashtrays are located on Kostnice Square, in Seifertova, Lipanská, Koněvova and Biskupcova streets, two are on Jiřího z Poděbrady Square, another at the intersection of Táboritská and Ondříčkova streets and at the intersection of Vinohradská and Jičínská streets.

When the construction work is finished, ashtrays will be placed on Tachov Square and Lukášova Street.

“We select locations for the location of new ashtrays according to clearly defined criteria. These include, for example, heavy pedestrian traffic, the absence of baskets, subway entrances, entrances to underpasses and stops,” says the mayor.

Ashtray dumps are scheduled once a month. The purchase of an ashtray, including installation, costs approximately CZK 3500.

The Rudolfinum – home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra since 1946 – will undergo a renovation.

This week, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra presented a project to modify the Rudolfinum’s terrace. The project will be a collaboration with developer Arcona Capital.

“From our point of view, it’s a simple matter. The project is very exciting, but we approach it with great responsibility. The aim is to open the terrace to the general public, and allow open-air concerts,” says Guy Barker, Director of Arcona Capital.

Additionally, part of the reconstruction’s aim is to even out surfaces, repair parts such as railings, and get electricity, lighting, and water running. Moreover, an elevator will be built.

The company started working on the project 18 months ago. It already holds a building permit from the National Heritage Institute, the Department of Heritage Care, and the Building Office of Prague 1.

The costs of CZK 23 million are covered by Arcona Capital, which wants to raise the money in a fundraising campaign that it will announce this year. The date for the start of the construction is still unknown.

All that is certain is that once the work has been done, it will be done within three months.

“We would very much like to open the roof to the public,” says David Mareček, Director of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

The roof is endowed with sixteen statues of famous composers. However, it is only possible to visit it only as part of a virtual tour of the Rudolfinum.

rudolfinum roof open public

After years of preparation, a complete renovation of Wenceslas Square began on April 15, 2020.

The aim is to carry out a comprehensive reconstruction, which would correspond to the modern requirements of urban architecture, including putting in new networks for utilities.

A modern square in the heart of Prague would offer visitors an attractive environment, with a balance of all the necessary urban amenities. Due to the size and the complexity of the space, construction work is planned in two stages.

The lower part of the square is supposed to be completed by the end of 2021, while the upper part beginning from Vodičkova street, is to be completed in 2022.

Authorities want the square to have uniform paving on the streets, more spacious sidewalks, and new alleys.

The budget for the reconstruction will increase up to CZK 109 million. 85 million CZK of the budget will reportedly go to the construction of tram tracks.

The construction company collaborating with the city councilors wants 23 million CZK more due to extra work caused by unforeseen circumstances.

Construction work for Wenceslas began last year and originally was supposed to cost around CZK 330 million.

The company charged around CZK 8.7 million for the demolition of concrete structures, and another CZK 15.9 million for other changes and modifications. The biggest impact on the increased budget of reconstruction is the construction of blind tracks, which will be connected to the actual railway line in the future.

If the plan is approved, the city council will decide on its construction independently.

Reconstruction of the part of the square from Můstek to Vodičkova began last April and, according to the original schedule, should be completed this year.

Workers are gradually replacing surfaces, while more space for pedestrians is being built. Old trees in poor condition will be cut down, and new ones will be planted in their place.

Data Autotrans, a local bus operator, is launching a new bus service. The company offers a direct connection from Prague to Šumava, or ‘Bohemian Forest’.

It is the only bus thus far to provide a direct connection to the scenic destination.

The journey will take passengers from Prague via Mirovice, Blatna, Horažďovice, Rabí, Sušici, Kašpersky Mountains, Kvilda, Modrava, Srní and on to Prášily.

It is a long-distance journey, and Data Autotrans reportedly wants to let the service run on Saturdays, Sundays, and on public holidays.

The bus leaves Prague at 8 am on Saturdays from Florenc station. At the Kašpersky Mountains stop and all of the stops beyond it, the bus service is only accessible by calling, ie by phone at least one hour in advance.

The bus returns back to Prague from Prášily at 5 pm, and at 5:30 pm on Sundays. Tickets are quite affordable, for example, a ticket from Prague to Kašpersky Mountains costs CZK 169.

For a better idea of what the schedule is like, you can find the full timetable here.

Data Autotrans returned to a more regular schedule of its service in March this year. The carrier was heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic since a large part of their business is oriented towards tourism.

Fortunately, the company is still running. Data Autotrans previously operated a line between Prague, Brno, and Bratislava.