A Museum that will explore the creation, rise and fall of totalitarian regimes in Czechoslovakia is coming to its capital city. The initial exhibitions will focus on totalitarianism. And one infamous object has already been donated to the cause; the bronze statue of Soviet marshal Ivan Konev. The decision did not come without controversy. The statue was pulled down from its plinth in April 2020, under backing from Mayor Ondřej Kolář and the Prague 6 administration. As Mayor Kolář described this move as “the imaginary last note in the etude that took place in 1980 in Bubenec”, Czech President Miloš Zeman’s spokesman Jiří Ovčáček condemned the removal. Ovčáček argues that pulling down the statue is an attempt to “erase the memory”, yet moving it to a museum will bring its history to public attention. Before its removal historian Petr Blažek, who has been recommended for the museum board, stated that: “It would be better if this discussion around the Konev statue took place in a museum, where it would be accompanied by contemporary film recordings of its unveiling [in 1980], ], as well as with a factography that would document marshal Konev’s personality in more detail.” Plans to build a...
Today marks 84 years since the birth of Václav Havel. The last Czechoslovak and first Czech President was born in October 1936 into a prominent Prague entrepreneurial and intellectual family. His father, Václav Maria Havel, a successful structural engineer, was the second-generation head of the family building development tradition. His mother, Božena, came from the Vavrečka family, with art-literary and technical talents. She no doubt represented a great role model for her sons, in whom she cultivated a freedom-loving spirit, but also set the bar of aspiration high for them. As the son of bourgeois parents, Havel was denied easy access to education but managed to finish high school and study at the university level. He found work as a stagehand in a Prague theatrical company in 1959 and soon began writing plays with Ivan Vyskočil. He was a prominent participant in the liberal reforms of 1968 (known as the Prague Spring), and, after the Soviet clampdown on Czechoslovakia that year, his plays were banned and his passport was confiscated. During the 1970s and ’80s he was repeatedly arrested and served four years in prison (1979–83) for his activities on behalf of human rights in Czechoslovakia. After his release from prison, Havel remained...
“Aim High – Wall of Culture” (“Mierz wysoko – ściana kultury”) is the name of an artistic project implemented by the National Cultural Centre in cooperation with Good Looking Studio, the aim of which is to commemorate the road to freedom of Poland and the Czech Republic between 1980 and 1989. Art and history collage Eight artists, two murals, one project – this is the gist of the project, which is to be implemented on the walls of Prague and Warsaw. The murals will be inspired by the history of the Solidarity movement that emerged in Poland and its impact on cultural and socio-political changes in Central and Eastern Europe. Various interpretations of the artists will subsequently be combined into the final project in the form of a collage, which will be hand-painted on two walls, in Prague and Warsaw. In this way, a great transnational work of art filled with unique historical symbolism will be born. In search of inspiration The project was initiated during a joint study tour made by the artists in the Tri-City, the aim of which was to explore the history of the 1980s and draw inspiration from the spirit of the socio-political transformation of...
Club Roxy held a protest to ask the Czech government for funding in their ‘last chance to be seen’ before they face closure. On Wednesday, September 30th, the dance music club bathed itself in red light to show solidarity with the #WeMakeEvents movement, a global day of action that has seen thousands of venues tell those in power that the live events sector urgently needs support to survive the Covid-19 crisis. Roxy is asking for a grant payment that would cover rent, electricity and gas bills until they can reopen. The peaceful protests attracted long-time Roxy supporters, resident DJ’s and concerned staff. Hana Makovcová, Roxy’s Head of PR, said that this is their ‘last stab in the dark’ to be noticed. The clubbing scene has been hit hard by Covid restrictions, and Prague is no exception. Roxy says they have received no real support from the government, forcing them to close permanently in the next month if nothing changes. Jaroslav Stanko, the manager of Roxy, said that joining this initiative was a way to raise awareness of their struggle. “Our government doesn’t really care for our industry. We received very little support from our government,” Stanko told Prague Morning. “A...
While exploring the area of Petrske Namesti, you may not expect to discover a slice of Punjabi royalty nestled opposite the gothic shape of St.Peter's Tower.
Mall.TV’s thriller series #martyisdead, has been nominated for an International Emmy Awards. Winning in the ‘short series’ category would be huge, as this is the first Czech series to be nominated, reports Kinobox. The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences recently announced the 2020 nominations for the Emmy Awards. The winners of each of the eleven categories, which include drama and comedy, will be announced on Monday, November 23 in New York. The series was directed by Pavel Soukup , written by screenwriters Jaroslav T. Miška and Jan Stehlík and produced Vratislav Šlajer, Jakub Košťál and Milan Kuchynka. The protagonist Marty was played by Jakub Nemčok . Šlajer and Košťál say they are ‘very happy’ with the ‘prestigious’ nomination: “We are glad that after the success in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the series is also doing abroad. It’s great that even Czech genre production can succeed in the world,” they continued. Mall.tv. producers Záhoř and Kuchynka add: “We keep our fingers crossed, but the fact that we are in this company gives us energy for further work and shows that it makes sense for Czech to create and invest in online content.” The eight-part online series, available on Mall.tv was inspired by real cases...
Dozens of breweries and microbreweries across the nation are shaking up their menu to celebrate the ‘Days of Czech Beer festival’. The Union of Breweries and Malt Houses established the Dny českého piva in honour of St. Wenceslas. This year, breweries have organized free tours of their production for guests and meeting with brewers and beer experts. The promotion will last until September 30. St. Wenceslas Day, the 28th of September, is a national holiday, celebrating Václav I’s legacy of helping unify Bohemia. But he is also considered the patron saint of beer. “We believe that Czech Beer Days will help encourage people to go out more often and taste their favorite beer. We know that people’s favourite pubs, especially in smaller towns and villages, are the center of social and cultural life,” František Šámal, chairman of the ČSPS, said in a press release. “Our goal is to support the consumption of draft beer, as well as to remind everyone about the uniqueness of the Czech beer tradition. It is part of the cultural heritage, part of our national identity,” added Šamal. Aside from specialty beers, some venues will serve wild boar with rosehip sauce, a traditional Czech meal that...
On September 25, the National Gallery Prague opened a long-awaited exhibition Rembrandt: Portrait of a Man which was rescheduled from spring to autumn due to Covid-19.
Lunchmeat Festival 2020 – the annual cutting-edge club arena for electronic music paired with state-of-the-art audio-visual technics – will take place from September 28 till October 3. The festival combines performances for sit-down attention and contemplation with later evenings for revels on the dancefloor. However, the motto for this year’s festival is “We See You Dancin’” which puts more emphasis on our need for such a release, especially in these weird times of both post-quarantine and another potentially upcoming quarantine. SOPHIE is the biggest name on the festival’s marquee this year. As a Los-Angeles based, Scottish singer, performer and producer, SOPHIE has a colorful and singular PC sound from her own software produced adrenaline-charged synth-pop merged with elements of sound blasts, like the twists and turns of computer games or sound fragments on movie soundtracks–the new “natural” sounds of life around us. SOPHIE has emerged from her underground status recently as a top-ranked producer for pop stars including Charli XCX, Kendrick Lamar, and even Madonna (see the video “Bitch, I’m Madonna”). Another experimental pop artist at the top of the bill is Lyra Pramuk, who works with recordings of her own voice, which she manipulates or processes through software and...
September 23, 1875: the operation was launched solemnly on the first track of the Prague horse-drawn railway from Invalidovna in Karlín to the Chain Bridge of Emperor Franz. It was 3.4 km long, in the territory of Prague monorail with switches, in both suburbs double-track. The first depot was in Karlín. At that time, the name of the company operating the horse-drawn railway was General Direction der Prager Tramway. This date is considered a symbolic beginning of the history of public transport in Prague. In 1876, the track was extended west of the National Theater, through the Újezd hub to the Smíchov Railway Station. In 1882 the network was extended to Vinohrady and Žižkov. At that time, they were independent suburbs of Prague, but now they are incorporated into the city. In 1883, the size of the entire network was 19.43 kilometers. In 1891 the first electric tram line was opened in Letná. This line led from the upper terminal of the Letná Funicular to the pavilion of the Jubilee Exhibition through Ovenecká street. After two more years, this line was extended to the Governor’s Villa, a further distance of 1.4 km. In 1896, on 19 March, František Křižík opened a second, more important tram...
Thanks to "Prague Unlocked" campaign by Prague City Tourism, almost 60,000 people visited the metropolis this summer.
World Penguin Day officially falls on April 25, when Prague Zoo was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the celebration was postponed to Saturday, September 19th. Visitors will find a rich program that encourages people to learn more about penguins, their environment, and how important they are to the ecosystem. In addition, children can take part in games and contests. From 10:00 to 16:30, visitors can take part in a creative workshop, where it will be possible to compose and paint a 3D penguin. The culmination of Saturday’s program will be a lecture by zookeeper Jakub Mezei, which will take place from 5 pm at the Education Center. Upon entering the pavilion of penguins, you will find yourself in the harsh world of the Chilean and Peruvian coasts – the home of the Humboldt’s penguin. Standing behind large glass panes, you can observe the way they live and move around both above and under the surface of the water– you can even watch them nesting in the winter, as we are one of the few European zoos to achieve regular success in breeding these penguins. World Penguin Day celebrates all the penguins in the world and raises awareness for the endangerment...
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