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New Ice Rink Glides into Prague’s Wenceslas Square

Prague City is set to witness the inauguration of its first-ever ice rink at Wenceslas Square. Opening on Tuesday, December 5, and running until February 18, 2024, the ice rink will grace the lower expanse of the square. Despite its modest size, measuring 30×12 meters, the venue will offer not just skating but also the convenience of on-site skate rentals and a fast-food tent. Admission to the rink comes at a cost, with prices that might be considered relatively high compared to other facilities. A two-hour glide for adults will cost CZK 200, while children can join the rink for CZK 100. Additionally, renting skates for two hours will set you back another CZK 150. Opening Hours and Holiday Schedule: Regular Hours (05.12.2023 to 18.02.2024): Daily from 09:00 to 21:00 Technical Breaks: 12:00-12:30, 15:00-15:45, and 18:00-18:30 Public Holidays: 24 December: 09:00-15:00 25 December: 09:00-21:00 26 December: 09:00-21:00 31 December: 09:00-18:00 1 January 2024: 09:00-21:00

 by Prague Morning Dec 04, 2023

Goethe-Institut Invites You to a Sustainable and Waste-Free Christmas

Christmas as a holiday of consumerism: the Goethe-Institut wants to convince the Czech and international public that it doesn’t have to be this way. On Saturday 9 December, the institute will offer a series of creative workshops for children and adults with a Christmas and ecological theme. Entrance is free. “We have a pile of old wallpaper, wrapping paper, unwanted posters, newspapers, magazines, branches from our beautiful Christmas tree and dozens of other items that would be easy to throw away. We want to save it all and transform it into original Christmas gifts, notebooks or stationery,” comments Veronika Svítil from the Goethe-Institut. All this is free of course,” adds Svítil. The event, called Christmas Without Waste, will offer five workshops and other activities that are suitable for individuals and families with children. For example, under the guidance of Eva Rosíková from Kreaivatelier, it will be possible to make small gifts or interior Christmas decorations from recycled materials. Illustrator and graphic designer Zuzana Mašková will help with the production of notebooks and pencils, even for children (over six years old). The secrets of the bookbinding craft will be revealed by colleagues from Reformat, a second-hand stationery shop and sheltered workshop....

 by Prague Morning Dec 04, 2023

Salvation Army Launches Annual Collection. How Can You Contribute?

The Salvation Army’s annual collection in aid of the needy, primarily single parents, elderly citizens and homeless people, starts on December 4.   How can you contribute? People can contribute to the cause by donating money to the organisation’s volunteers in the streets of Prague, Brno, Ostrava and other cities, as well as online. The collection will run until December 22. You can donate money through the Darujme.cz portal, by transferring it to an account, or physically on the streets of selected cities. The individuals collecting the money are referred to as “bell ringers”. You can contribute by placing your donation into the red kettle carried by the bell ringers. Who does the collection help? The funds will support initiatives for children, youth, families, and the elderly. For children, donations will primarily go towards organizing camps, clubs, or music and dance groups. For the elderly, money from the kettle collection will contribute to self-development and memory training clubs, reading clubs, as well as education in foreign languages, mobile literacy, and computer work. “The funds will also be utilized to assist the needy, individuals whom the Salvation Army Church will aid in challenging life situations and connect with social services. Last...

 by Prague Morning Dec 04, 2023

Starting October 1, 2024, Electric Cars Will No Longer be Able to Park in Prague for Free

Electric Cars Will No Longer be Able to Park in Prague for Free

 by Hena Takal Dec 04, 2023

Live Christmas Chorus to Pop Up at Hlavní Nádraží

The Czech Christmas Mass also commonly known as “Rybovka”, is an inherent part of the pre-Christmas season. The church composition written in Czech by Jakub Jan Ryba retells the story of the announcement of Christ’s birth and the arrival of the shepherds to the manger. The mass is set in the Czech environment and, thanks to its joyful and fresh atmosphere, it has enjoyed popularity among children and adults for over two hundred years. The Rybovka na Hlaváku will once again take place at Prague’s main railway station (Hlavní nádraží) after a three-year hiatus caused by the coronavirus. Dozens of musicians and singers will perform Česká mše vánoční (Czech Christmas Mass) on Friday 23 December. This will be the twentieth time the event has taken place. The improvised orchestra, consisting of musicians who have volunteered to take part in the Facebook event, will be conducted by the well-known Czech conductor Lukáš Prchal. The concert will start at 13:00 and last about an hour and a half. Admission is free. Background Ryba composed his most famous work in 1796, a year after he managed to resolve a dispute over his teaching methods with the priest Kašpar Zachar. He wrote the music to...

 by Prague Morning Dec 04, 2023

GALLERY: Battle of Austerlitz Reenactment Draws Record Numbers of Participants

Thousands flocked to Santon Hill for the annual reenactment of the Battle of Austerlitz. Commemorated every year, this year’s edition is the largest since 2015, using 1200 history enthusiasts from 15 different countries. Over 10,000 spectators braved the cold and snow near the village of Tvarožná in the Brno region to watch the annual reenactment of the historic battle of Austerlitz. Also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, the nine-hour fight saw Napoleon’s army of 60,000 famously defeat the much stronger armies of Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Emperor Francis of Austria in 1805. For the locals, the recreation of one of Napoleon’s most famous and successful battles is not meant to celebrate the controversial figure – it is meant to commemorate and promote knowledge of a common European history, particularly in light of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. An annual tradition coinciding with a controversial film This reenactment attracted many more spectators than usual, in part due to the release of the latest Ridley Scott film centered around the infamous Napoleon Bonaparte. The movie has been met with waves of negative reviews from French historians and film critics and some local Czech historians have joined them in expressing their reservations...

 by Prague Morning Dec 04, 2023

New Rules on Early Repayments of Mortgages From January

Did you know that you can break your mortgage fixation, sell your property, and refinance anytime, even if you fixed with the bank for three, five, or eight years or so? The bank must allow you to close the mortgage prematurely… for a cost. And there is a big change from January. Let us start from the beginning. What is fixation: When you take your mortgage for let’s say 20 or 30 years, the interest rate will not stay the same for the whole time. When taking out the mortgage, you choose a “fixation period”, which means that for the next X amount of years, the rate will be fixed at for example 5.39%, which is the best rate we can get today (end of November 2023). With this in mind, you might be tempted to go for a shorter fixation and hope the rates go down. But, if you can refinance anytime anyway, why not choose 10 years and simply break the fixation whenever it suits you? How much did it to break fixation? Depending on when you signed your mortgage or renewed your fixation period (which, for the sake of working out these costs, is considered a reset...

 by Robin Petrasek Dec 03, 2023

Saving History or Progress? Prague’s Main Railway Station’s Renovation Sparks Debate

The Old Prague Club opposes the proposal to transform the Main Railway Station, arguing against the demolition of a significant portion of the new concourse. The club contends that the station is a valuable structure, describing it as “one of the finest post-war buildings not only in Prague but in the entire Czech Republic,” as stated in its official release. The proposed design, selected through an architectural competition by the Railway Administration (SŽ), Prague, and the Prague Transport Company, suggests the removal of the front section of the hall, replacing it with an open space covered with a wooden structure. In its statement, the club emphasizes the check-in hall as an exceptional work by the architectural team of Jan Bočan, Josef Danda, Zdeněk Rothbauer, and Jan and Alena Šrámek. Additionally, it highlights the hall’s protected status as a monument, along with the historic Fanta building, according to the Ministry of Culture. The club asserts that this information should have been communicated to the competition participants promptly to ensure appropriate adjustments to their designs. The club finds the proposed demolition of a substantial part of the hall perplexing, especially considering its renovation over ten years ago at a cost of CZK...

 by Karolina Kubičková Dec 03, 2023

From Rooftops to Fountains: Here’s the Full List of Prague’s Public Ice Rinks

With the temperatures dropping and winter approaching, public ice rinks are gradually opening around Prague for people to enjoy the Advent season. For example, a shopping center’s roof can be an atypical place for ice skating. “Every year, we aim to bring something original to visitors so they can experience skating in new, unusual locations. That’s why we opened an ice rink on the roof of the Nový Smíchov Shopping Centre or inside the fountain in Prague’s Střížkov district. This is unique in the whole country; you won’t find any other round ice rink like this in the Czech Republic,” says Vít Bouše, the organizer of the Prague Ice Skating Rink project. Other ice rinks around Prague also offer refreshments and accompanying programs for children and adults, creating a pleasant Christmas atmosphere. Most public ice rinks are already open or are awaiting the first Advent weekend (Saturday, 2 December, and Sunday, 3 December), such as the Letná Ice Rink or the Smichovské nábřeží Ice Rink. Here’s the full list: Ice Rink at Hořejší nábřeží Address: Smíchovská náplavka – Hořejší nábřeží Start of operation: 2 December 2023 Admission: Free of charge Ice Skating Rink at the Ládví Swimming Pool Address: Štíbrova...

 by Alexa Wandersee Dec 03, 2023

Strap on Your Skis: Opening Dates for Czech Ski Resorts This Winter Season

December sees most Czech ski resorts open up their gates – this year even more modern, comfortable, sustainable and a little bit bigger. And at the same prices as last year! First-rate services, excellent facilities for parents and children, cozy pubs with the aroma of Czech winter culinary specialties wafting through the doors… These are Czechia’s mountains, gentle hills that are simply perfect for a carefree winter holiday for the whole family. Czechia’s longest ski slope can be found in Dolní Morava It seems that Czechia’s winter resorts are racing to see which can build the country’s longest ski slope by 2025. Last year, first place went to the Klínovec Ski Resort with its new 3.4-kilometer track, but this year the title has been claimed by the Dolní Morava Mountain Resort in West Bohemia. The new 3.7-kilometre family downhill slope not only offers amazing views, but is also nice and wide, at least 25 metres all the way along. With one ski pass you can ski on more than 10 km of fully snow-covered downhill tracks of all difficulty levels at one of Czechia’s best resorts, packed with first-rate services and attractions. The start of the ski season in Dolní...

 by Prague Morning Dec 03, 2023

Colours of Ostrava Announces Lenny Kravitz as Headliner for Next Year’s Festival

The main star of next year's Colours of Ostrava will be American singer Lenny Kravitz.

 by Gabriella Burgess Dec 03, 2023

New Light Installation Park Illuminates Karlovo náměstí in Prague

A new light installation park, named “Karlovo království,” has recently opened on Karlovo náměstí, accessible for free. This collaborative project was organized by the Prague-2 municipal district and the municipal company responsible for the Management of Technical Communications in Prague. The park welcomes visitors every day until January 6, 2024. In this winter season, Prague boasts three other paid parks featuring light displays – Světla vyprávějí, Lumina Park, and Winter Wonderland.    

 by Prague Morning Dec 02, 2023

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