Czechia

Czechia’s Tourist Season Kicks Off with New Openings and Price Hikes

The new tourist season officially gets underway in Czechia on Thursday, with castles, chateaux, and other national monuments administered by the National Heritage Institute opening their doors to the public. Most of the privately owned monuments that still belong to their original aristocratic owners also open ahead of the Easter holidays. Visitors can expect a combination of familiar favorites and exciting new offerings, including extended opening hours, newly accessible areas, and special Easter programs at some locations. However, be prepared for slightly higher entrance fees at many state-run castles and chateaus this year. Increased Costs Lead to Ticket Price Adjustments The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) has implemented price hikes ranging from CZK 20 to CZK 60 at some monuments. This decision reflects rising operational costs and reduced funding from the Ministry of Culture. The good news? Entrance fees remain unchanged at roughly a quarter of the monuments. Additionally, 100 NPÚ-managed sites will be open daily throughout the Easter holidays, with some offering special themed events. Further enhancements are underway at Český Krumlov State Castle and Chateau, with the fully restored Bellarie Summer Palace opening on a new visitor route starting in September. The Golden Crown Monastery will also unveil its...

 by Jakub Dvorský Mar 28, 2024

Czech Intelligence Bust Major Russian Propaganda Network

Czech intelligence has busted a Moscow-financed network that spread Russian propaganda and wielded influence across Europe, including in the European Parliament, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Wednesday. The group used the Prague-based Voice of Europe news site to spread information seeking to discourage the European Union from sending aid to Ukraine, which has been battling a Russian invasion since February 2022. Fiala said the Czech Security Information Service (BIS) discovered that the pro-Russian network was indulging in activities that “would have a serious impact on the security of the Czech Republic and the EU.” “This group sought to carry out operations and activities on EU territory aimed against the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,” Fiala told reporters. “The group’s activity… also reaches the European Parliament,” he said, refusing to disclose further details. Czech authorities have sanctioned some of those involved but the Voice of Europe continues to publish articles. The BIS said the network was financed from Russia and operating on Czech territory. “The BIS operation unveiled how Russia is wielding influence on the territory of EU member states and how it is trying to affect political processes in our countries,” it said on X, formerly Twitter....

 by Prague Morning Mar 28, 2024

New Study Shows that Prague has Europe’s Least-Affordable Housing

Prague grapples with a critical housing affordability crisis, holding the distinction of having the least affordable housing in Europe. While private construction plays a role, a new analysis by non-profit housing organizations emphasizes the need for substantial political intervention. The report, presented on Tuesday, highlights a worsening situation despite existing measures by the Prague City Council. The authors propose solutions like expanding municipal housing, rent regulation, and progressive taxation on investment flats. Representatives from Arnika, Re-set, Platform for Social Housing, Tenants’ Union, and Sustainable Housing in Central Prague co-authored the study. “Despite existing policies,” stated Václav Orcígr of Arnika, the report’s editor, “the housing situation has fundamentally worsened, making Prague the European city with the most unaffordable housing.” The analysis cites a Politico report from late 2023, claiming it takes roughly 25 years of average net income to acquire a 75-square-meter apartment in Prague. The analyst Nina Fabšíková, pointed out that apartment prices have surged by 50% over the past five years, while rents have increased by 30%. Nominal wages have risen by 21%, but real wages, adjusted for inflation, have actually decreased by 15%. The report reveals that a significant portion of Prague households (up to 25%) dedicate over...

 by Prague Morning Mar 27, 2024

1,000-Year-Old Ice Skate Discovered in Czech Republic

Archaeologists in the Czech Republic have stumbled across an incredible find — an apparent 1,000-year-old ice skate! Archaeologist Zdeněk Schenk, who led a team of researchers, said that the ice skate was made with an animal’s bone rather than metal. “The object has a specific shape,” Schenk explained. “On one side, it is curved into a tip which has a hole drilled in it, and there is another hole at the back.” According to the outlet, the ice skate was discovered in the city of Přerov during a “rescue” excavation in the basement of a home in the area. During the interview, Schenk said that the centuries-old innovation was resistant to rust thanks to the material being built from the bone of an animal, though it is unknown what type of mammal remains were used. He said it may have been made from a horse bone. He also described how the ice skates were made. “[The holes] were used to thread a strap through, which was used to attach the skate to a shoe or to a wooden sledge,” Schenk said. The researcher also added that there are not enough biological remnants to accurately date the archeological find, however, by...

 by Prague Morning Mar 26, 2024

Czech Republic Holds Open Gardens Weekend 2024

More than 200 private sites and gardens will become accessible to the public!  On 8 and 9 June, residents and tourists in the Czech Republic will be allowed to visit and explore gardens that are otherwise inaccessible throughout the year. On this occasion, the public can get acquainted with the different approaches to maintenance of gardens and get a new insight into its function and importance in life. It must be noted that, despite the name of the event, various buildings and establishments will take part. In other words, the two-day experience will allow visitors to access numerous private sites including castles, squares, historic cemeteries, monasteries, arboretums, botanical gardens, and flower farms. Over 200 establishments are taking part this year The Open Gardens Weekend event first took place in 2010 when only 3 gardens became accessible to the public. People’s interest rapidly grew with time, and the two-day experience proved to be a success. Now, more than 200 gardens from all over the country have announced that they will take part in this year’s Open Gardens Weekend. What can you experience at the event? According to the event’s website, the aim is to increase people’s awareness of and interest in...

 by Prague Morning Mar 26, 2024
Czech Easter

8 Fascinating Facts About Czech Easter

As for the most interesting Czech holidays and traditions, Easter sure gives Christmas a run for its peníze (i.e. money). In addition to catching the beauty of spring, Eastertime visitors will come away from Prague with a pocketful of history and traditions to be shared back home (especially if a visit to the country’s more traditional Moravian region is involved). For a preview of what to expect for Easter in the Czech Republic, read our 8 fascinating Easter facts! 1. Is it Easter… or a celebration of spring? Velikonoce (Easter) comes from the expression velká noc meaning “great night” after the day in which Jesus Christ rose from the dead. During Communist rule, however, the religious celebration was suppressed and the arrival of spring was recognized instead. Since the Velvet Revolution and the collapse of Communism in 1989, Easter’s Christian roots have slowly been reestablished, though the holiday is still less overtly religious than visitors might expect (at least in the case in the capital city). 2. Easter Monday trumps Easter Sunday The main day for Easter celebrations is on Easter Monday, also a national holiday. Easter Sunday (Velikonoční neděle), on the other hand, is typically spent preparing for the following day’s festivities during which ladies decorate the eggs...

 by Prague Morning Mar 26, 2024

Early Blossoms in Czechia Raise Concerns About Frost Damage

Unusually warm winter temperatures have caused a rare almond grove in the Czech Republic, to bloom weeks ahead of schedule. This early burst of beauty is a cause for celebration but also raises worries about potential frost damage that could devastate the year’s harvest. Almond trees are typically associated with warmer climates like California and the Mediterranean. So how did Hustopece, nestled in south-east of Czechia, come to have its own almond grove? The answer lies in the Cold War era. Following the communist takeover in 1948, Czechoslovakia faced a severe shortage of goods, including almonds. The regime aimed for self-sufficiency and established the Hustopece grove in the 1950s. Experts meticulously identified a south-facing slope near Hustopece as the country’s warmest microclimate and tested various almond cultivars to maximize harvest yields. By 1960, the grove boasted over 50,000 trees, a true Central European oddity. The almonds supplied a local chocolate factory, but production challenges led to a significant reduction in the grove’s size by the 1970s. Apricot trees, better suited to the region’s climate, were planted in their place. Finally, the Velvet Revolution of 1989 opened the market to global trade, and the Hustopece grove’s commercial purpose dwindled. A New...

 by Prague Morning Mar 23, 2024

Poverty Is Rising in Czechia, Especially in Relation to Housing Costs

Poverty and indebtedness are on the rise in the Czech Republic, according to the Caritas Cares 2023 report published today. The most at-risk groups are single mothers, the long-term unemployed, the elderly, and people with mental health problems, and the worsening situation is most evident in housing, according to the report. Caritas CR is the largest provider of social services for the needy in the Czech Republic. It publishes reports on the social situation in the country every two years. This time it focused on poverty and the associated lack of affordable housing, access to services and long-term care, and debt. The report is based on research carried out last June and July in its counselling centres, shelters and other facilities. Indebtedness still affects a significant number of the country’s inhabitants; clients of Caritas counselling centres often fail to meet their obligations due to high levels of debt, and many cannot enter debt relief at all due to insufficient income, Caritas said. According to Iva Kuchynkova, the Caritas social manager, wages are also declining due to the post-COVID period, and many people are in debt due to rising energy prices. On average, 70% of clients of its counselling centres are...

 by Prague Morning Mar 20, 2024

Czech Government Wants to Allow Other EU Citizens to Become Police Members

Czechia wants to make it possible for other European Union citizens to become members of the police and other security forces. The proposal to make this change has been put forward by the Ministry of Interior of Czechia, with the aim of diversifying the police and security forces members. However, not everyone is eligible to apply. In line with the proposal, only EU/EEA citizens who have been legally residing in Czechia for a minimum period of three years and who are proficient in the Czech language will be eligible to apply to become police and other security officers members. Citizens of other EU and EEA countries will also be able to become members of the security forces if they have lived in the Czech Republic for at least three years and speak the Czech language. However, the Ministry has emphasized that the change in the rules will not extend to intelligence services. This is because the country wants to maintain strict requirements for these roles, Česká Justice explains. In case the proposal is approved, the applicants need to prove that they have no criminal records in their country of origin. The aim of the amendment is to modernize the law,...

 by Richard Sovitzky Mar 20, 2024

Czech Breaks World Record for Fastest Barefoot Half Marathon Run on Ice

Josef Šálek is the proud new Guinness World Record holder for the fastest half marathon completed barefoot on ice/snow, a feat he accomplished in 1:50:42 clad in nothing but a pair of short tights and an ecstatic grin. The Czech therapist, lecturer, and personal development coach bested the previous record of 2:16:34 set by Dutch runner Wim ‘The Iceman’ Hof in 2007. It’s not his first world record either. In 2023, the fitness enthusiast proved his extreme abdominal strength by holding a plank for 9 hours, 38 minutes, and 47 seconds, besting the previous record by more than eight minutes. The new record for the fastest barefoot half marathon on ice was set on an open circuit in a valley near the highest mountain in Czechia, measured by a professional surveyor. Technically, Šálek’s preparation for the record began back in 2013, before he even became a runner. He started hosting workshops where he would walk barefoot over hot coals and glass shards. “I needed to show people how to manage their fears and lack of self-confidence in practice,” he wrote on his website. Then in 2017, after going through a breakup and struggling with unhealthy eating and alcohol and cigarette...

 by Prague Morning Mar 19, 2024

Have You Heard of Poesiomats? Public Art that Lets Cities Speak Poetry

A Czech invention that brings an innovative twist to the concept of urban furniture. They look like black periscopes sticking out of the ground and observing the urban landscape around them. Or they could be confused with an air pipe that connects to some grid hidden in the Netherlands. Meet the Poesiomats – the urban poetry machines that have taken over most of the cities in the Czech Republic, and recently also other places around the world. The idea behind the Poesiomat, invented by café owner and cultural activist Ondřej Kobza, was to create a sort of publicly accessible jukebox for spoken word culture. The first one of this type was installed in Prague’s Namesti Míru in 2015 and since then they have become a common feature in other Czech cities, towns, villages and even castles. The aim of the Poesiomat is to revive the appeal of poetry by making it easily accessible to the masses. According to the initiative’s website, the poetry machines, however, can also contain lyrics, songs, and sounds related to the specific place they are located in. On Tuesday, 12 March, a Poesiomat was erected in Kaznice, Brno-sever district. Reminiscent of a submarine periscope, this machine...

 by Prague Morning Mar 15, 2024

Russia to Prosecute Czechs Over Konev Statue Removal

Russia is initiating criminal prosecutions against over 50 politicians from the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia for the removal of Soviet-era monuments. Among those targeted are Prague 6 Mayor Jakub Stárek and predecessor Ondřej Kolář for removing a statue of Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev. Mr. Kolář said he was “in good company and that the news had motivated him to continue his work”. He headed the district when a monument to Soviet commander Ivan Konev was taken down in 2020. Russian law provides for up to five years in prison but Czech officials condemn the prosecutions as “unenforceable”. Konev is regarded as a hero in Russia for retaking much of Eastern Europe from Nazi German forces during World War II. But many Czechs view him an enforcer of Soviet rule after the war. He led the Soviet troops that entered Prague after it had been liberated from the Nazis by resistance forces. But he also commanded the troops that crushed the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising in Hungary and helped build the Berlin Wall. Some historians say Konev also participated in planning the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. President Vladimir Putin has accused Russia’s detractors of diminishing the Soviet war...

 by Prague Morning Mar 14, 2024

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