On March 20, 1393, considered the first martyr of the Seal of the Confessional, St. John of Nepomuk was tortured and thrown into the river Vltava from Charles Bridge, by order of King Wenceslaus IV. The travesty unfolded during the reign of King Wenceslas IV and the Great Schism of 1378 – a split within the Catholic Church which saw two rival Popes, one in Rome and the other in Avignon, France. Wenceslas backed the Avignon-based Pontiff and John remained loyal to Rome. There was simmering tension and the two men clashed when it was time to appoint a new abbot to the abbey of Kladruby, in 1393. The king demanded that the appointment not go ahead and the abbey be transformed into a cathedral. But John had already confirmed the appointment. A brass cross, worn smooth and shiny by the innumerable hands of wish-makers, is positioned around the middle of Charles Bridge. Whether the reasons for the martyrdom were power struggles or accusations of revealing confessional secrets, John of Nepomuk is regarded as a symbol of honesty, reliability, and integrity. He is the patron saint of confessors, pilgrims, happy returns and boatmen and protector against floods. Today, hundreds of...
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,...
Every holiday in Czechia brings a question with it: Will stores be open or closed? For Easter, the answer is split. You can shop in large stores on Good Friday but not Easter Monday. Both are national holidays. This year Good Friday falls on March 29, Easter Sunday on March 31, and Easter Monday on April 1. Banks and government offices will be closed all four days. Many museums and galleries that are normally closed on Mondays will stay closed, but a handful will open with special hours. Most stores over 200 square meters close on some holidays, including Easter Monday. This closure is due to a law introduced in October 2016, prohibiting stores larger than 200 square meters from operating on certain national holidays, including Easter Monday. The law was implemented to allow supermarket employees to spend holidays with their families, like everyone else. The restriction does not apply to shops located in transportation hubs (train stations, bus stations, airports), healthcare facilities, including pharmacies, smaller shops under 200 square meters, wholesalers and gas stations. However, it’s best to double-check with individual businesses for their operating hours during the holiday. In conclusion, it’s crucial to plan ahead for any necessary...
A new activity bar opened in the centre of Prague in December of 2023. CrewBar is the first venue to bring shuffleboard to Prague. The venue is located by the river, near the Dancing House. Discover shuffleboard with a drink in hand, and don’t forget to reserve a spot! An activity bar is a new concept for the Czech Republic where you can have a beer and play a game or two. The marker of a true activity bar is that games come first. They’re not there to entertain patrons in between rounds; quite the opposite! CrewBar, located by the Dancing House in the centre of Prague, can show you how it’s done. A sister bar to Prague Golf & Games that popularized glow-in-the-dark golf in Prague, CrewBar has a similar concept. In fact, the success of the former was the inspiration behind the latter. Glow-in-the-dark ping pong did especially well in Prague Golf & Games, so the owner decided to open a new place with ping pong and more. Chris and his wife, the couple behind the project, met working on a cruise ship, in The Crew Bar, which lends its name to their latest business venture. In their...
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...
58 years ago, Věra Chytilová released her movie ‘Daisies’, which displeased the communist dictatorship with its criticism of the materialistic and male-dominated society and was banned by the regime. Although Czech society has made considerable progress since then, calls for equality from Czech women are often silenced, as evidenced by the recent incident involving director Daria Kascheeva at the Czech Lions Film Award ceremony. Where does the Czech Republic stand in terms of promoting gender equality? Join us for a discussion on this burning topic while watching this Czechoslovak New Wave masterpiece with English subtitles at kino Aero on the 20th of March. Purchase your tickets here. In ‘Daisies’ (1966, watch the trailer), Chytilová, who had made her living as a model in commercials before becoming one of the leading figures of the Czechoslovak New Wave, brings a nihilist story about two Maries who decided to be spoiled as the world they live in. They play pranks on men, catwalk down the overflowing buffet table and swing from the chandelier. The bold aesthetic she created with the artist Ester Krumbachová and the metaphorical language was too much for the communist regime and they tried to silence her by locking this...
Lukáš Kovanda, Chief Economist at Trinity Bank, has recently highlighted the affordability of public transportation in Prague. A recent study commissioned by the Prague City Council revealed that an annual public transport pass, adjusted for inflation and distance traveled since 2000, should cost approximately 11,250 CZK. However, the current price has been 3,650 CZK since 2015. This translates to a significant decrease in real terms, with residents essentially paying half the price for public transport compared to just a decade ago. “Prague residents are now traveling for roughly twice as cheaply as they did in 2014,” commented Mr. Kovanda. “This forward-thinking approach by the city administration deserves recognition. In a world facing inflation, Prague has ensured affordable and efficient travel for its residents.” The coalition parties that form the city government have not yet agreed on how much fares should be raised, but several possibilities are being discussed. One of the proposals on the table is doubling the price of the annual public transport pass, which currently costs CZK 3,650, working out at CZK 10 per day, one of the cheapest in the world. Deputy Mayor for Transport Zdeněk Hřib from the Pirate Party told Deník N he did not agree with...
Czech private railway operator RegioJet has announced the launch of a brand new train route connecting Prague, Czech Republic, with Chop, Ukraine. The service kicks off on Wednesday, March 27th, but passengers can already secure their tickets. This new line serves as an alternative to the existing route linking Prague with the Polish border town of Przemysl. According to ZDopravy.cz, a key advantage lies in the smooth border crossing between Slovakia and Ukraine. Unlike buses, this train route avoids longer wait times. RegioJet’s owner, Radim Jančura, revealed that the Chop-Prague route will consist of three cars with 140 seats, including 80 in sleeper cars and 60 in seated cars. RegioJet will collaborate with Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) on this new service. Plans are underway to extend the line further to Mukachevo, a city in the Transcarpathian region. The new connection complements RegioJet’s existing Prague-Košice route. Passengers can choose between comfortable sleeper cars and regular seating. The ticket price encompasses both breakfast and dinner, offering excellent value. Prices start from 459 CZK for a seat and 740 CZK for a sleeper berth. RegioJet will not be the only operator of passenger trains on 1435-mm-gauge lines to Ukraine. Slovakia’s national operator ZSSK operates...
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...
Roxy Club, known for its focus on cutting-edge electronic music, will feature Scottish DJ and producer Ewan McVicar on March 16th. Originally from Ayr, the Scottish producer and DJ is particularly known for his unique fusion of house and techno. His breakthrough came in 2020 with the release of the “Street Rave” EP on Trick, a label run by one of his idols. The EP’s energetic sound resonated with audiences across the UK. McVicar’s talent gained recognition from established labels like Nervous Records and Shall Not Fade, solidifying his position in the dance music scene. A defining moment in McVicar’s career was the release of “Tell Me Something Good” in 2021. The track garnered him the title of “Best Single of the Year” by DJ Mag and achieved platinum sales status. McVicar is not just a studio artist; he’s a sought-after DJ known for his energetic sets that showcase his diverse influences and love for music. He’s starting to get a lot of bookings around the world, and recordings of his live sets on YouTube attracting a lot of a positive reactions from fans around the world. You’ll find a lot of excellent live performance footage on YouTube (we recommend his Boiler...
The traditional the 1000 Miles of Czechoslovakia (1000 mil československých) race will be held in the heart of Prague on June 12. A summer staple for collectors in the Czech Republic, the long-distance road rally revives the spirit of the endurance race of the same name which took place in former Czechoslovakia from 1933 to 1935 and took competitors twice from Prague to Bratislava and back. Residents and visitors to the Czech capital will be able to view the rarities on Opletalova Street (in front of the Czech Automobile Club, Opletalova 29) on June 12 from 13:00 to 20:00. The event is organised by the Czech Automobile Club, the Czech Automobile Club Veterans Association, and the city of Prague 1. Around 150 automobiles of various brands (Škoda, Aero, BMW, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes Benz, etc.) will be on display, including iconic Praga cars and motorcycles. The nostalgic vibe will be enhanced with themed music and dance ensembles. The next morning (13 June), rally participants will set off on a symbolic race through the Czech Republic to Bratislava. The 1000 Miles of Czechoslovakia took place under the patronage of Czechoslovakia’s first president, Tomás Garrigue Masaryk, and has since become an annual event...
This year marks the 600th anniversary of the death of Jan Žižka – a key figure in the 15th-century Hussite movement – and the town of Tábor and the Hussite Museum have prepared a grand celebration in his honor. The program extends throughout 2024, offering a variety of events for all ages and interests. The Year of Žižka commenced with a museum exhibition in February, followed by a documentary film project. A competition for school teams invites students to create short videos about Žižka, while the “Tábor Encounters” festival returns in September, showcasing the town’s rich history. A highlight for history buffs is sure to be the dramatic reenactment of a historical battle planned for July 20th near the Klokoty Monastery. The Plzeňský Landfrýd association will stage the conquest of Příběnice Castle, complete with cavalry, swordsmen, and a historic marketplace. Those seeking a battle experience even sooner can head to the 11th Battle of Sudoměra on March 23rd. Official commemorative events will take place on October 10th, featuring a ceremony at the Jan Žižka monument and a lecture by historian Petr Čornej. The celebrations culminate on October 12th with a public display of the Hussite army encampment in Tismenické údolí,...
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