Consumer price growth in Czechia is slowing down. Year-on-year inflation in March is estimated at between 14.6 and 14.9% compared to 16.7% in February. March brought a decline in food prices, which would be the first drop since October 2021. David Pastrňák’s third hat trick of the year helped Boston Bruins beat Philadelphia Flyers 5:3 for an NHL-record 63rd win this season and made him the second Czech in NHL history to score 60 goals in one season. The Havířov native has now reached the 300-goal mark in the NHL. President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva will represent the Czech Republic at the coronation of British King Charles III in London. The presidential couple will travel on a regular commercial flight, accompanied by a small delegation. The coronation ceremony will take place in Westminster Abbey on 6 May. Starting in 2024, powerful electric scooters in the Czech Republic will require compulsory liability insurance and may also have to display traditional registration plates. The new rules aim to provide compensation in case of accidents, as the number of accidents involving e-scooters has increased tenfold in the last five years. The best-selling American writer Robert Fulghum is among the high-profile...
According to Olga Richterová (Pirates), deputy head of the Chamber of Deputies, Czech Easter traditions generate issues for both men and women. Easter Monday in Czechia include caroling and the controversial tradition of boys “whipping” girls with willow whips in return for a painted egg. Richterová told Nova TV the “whipping” should be conditioned by consent on the part of the women, because not all of them feel comfortable with it. “Traditions are a beautiful thing and belong to our culture. But it is important that their celebration is voluntary and does not cause anyone distress. Unfortunately, it often happens that women are beaten against their will with the pomlazka. Or they are whipped so roughly that they are left with painful bruises. Sometimes carolers also behave inappropriately because they are fortified by alcohol and do not know the measure,” Richterová said. Easter can also cause problems for men, she believes. “A lot of them don’t like trick-or-treating because it makes them feel uncomfortable. They just do it because of the social pressure,” she continued. NE znamená NE i při pomlázce! 🙏 Tradice jsou krásná věc a k naší kultuře patří. Je ale důležité, aby jejich oslava byla dobrovolná...
Prague will once again host its annual architectural festival Open House 2023, from Monday, May 15 to Friday, May 19. The festival of open buildings has become a traditional architectural holiday that gives people access to the city’s hidden architectural gems. Open House will also include lectures, discussions, and walking tours. More than 100 venues, both historical and modern, will take part in the event. A complete list will be available on the project’s official website shortly. The festival will show interiors of commonly inaccessible buildings and spaces, from industrial monuments to historic palaces, modernly designed offices, eco-friendly buildings, sport, cultural and educational facilities or residential development, all from 15th up to 21st centuries. For demanding and curious visitors there are also railway stations, abandoned buildings and mysterious cemeteries to see. The festival wants to make the city accessible for everyone, that is why organisers also prepare special tours for hearing impaired and visually impaired people. Open House is organised by a non-profit organization Open House Praha and its first edition was held in 2015. Over the years it became one of the most important cultural events in Prague supported by the Mayor of Prague and Mayors of the individual city districts.
It’s Prague in 1986. Levi’s button fly 501 jeans are all the rage and a must-have, even in Communist Prague. But there was no Levis store or really any Western retailers for that matter. Of course, there’s no Amazon, Alza or other internet retailers. In fact, possession of foreign currency in Czechoslovakia was officially illegal. In fact, every citizen who had any foreign currency had 15 days to surrender the Czechoslovak State Bank in exchange for crown. So, how would you get your acid-washed button fly jeans? That’s where Tuzex came in. Started in 1957, state-run Tuzex began as a network of retailers across Czechoslovakia offering groceries, but they expanded quickly to a wider market from there. With Tuzex, you had to use foreign currency (or gold) to buy “Tuzex vouchers” (known as “Bony”), which were in Czechoslovakian crowns denominations. Vouchers could be redeemed in Tuzex stores for retail items. By 1988, at the peak of Tuzex, there were 170 stores across Czechoslovakia, offering up items ranging from clothing to cosmetics and food to cars and other long-service products (especially electronics). In addition to the predominantly opened up it up to black-market sales Western goods from non-socialist countries consisted of...
When the organisers of the prestigious Magnesia Litera prize announced the competition for the Book of the Century, the expert jury chose Jaroslav Hašek’s novel The Good Soldier Švejk but the public voted for Jirotka’s Saturnin. This bestseller is a humorous novel about a servant named Saturnin, who becomes the master of his master. It mixes Czech humour with an English style, as Jirotka was inspired by P. G. Wodehouse and Jerome K. Jerome. Thanks to the Some Like it Czech project, you can now czexperience a wonderful soirée radiating with the elegance of the First Republic and brimming over with Czech proverbs. The movie of the same name as the book – Saturnin – is going to be screened with English subtitles on the 12th of April at cinema Aero. “Jiří Věrčák’s film adaptation Saturnin (watch the trailer) holds a precious spot in Czech society, as it is a dear reminder of past times and humorous yet beautiful moments that are worth living for,” says the co-founder of Some like it Czech project Šárka Bekrová. The narrator (unnamed in the novel, named Jiří Oulický for the purposes of the film) is a thirty-year-old single man who, at first, is...
In The Czech Republic, Easter is a long holiday. Besides celebrating Easter classically as we know it on Sunday, many Czech people celebrate the entire week leading up to this cheerful holiday. Back when the communists first started their occupation of the Czech nation in the late 1940s, the originally religious holiday was banned. As a result, it became more of a welcome of spring and a hope for new beginnings. With the end of the Velvet Revolution and communism, some of Easter’s Christian roots were brought back. Many of the Czech customs, however, originated in pre-Christian times. Christianity very skillfully used these pre-Christian customs; there are records showing that the Church tried to ban various customs from those times, calling them Pagan. But most of them survived despite these bans, and the Church was unable to uproot them, so in many cases, it just took them on. Easter is one of the times when pre-Christian customs and ideas blend with the Christian ones. Saturday or Bílá sobota which translates directly to white Saturday is known as the “The Day of Light”. It symbolizes Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. The rattling boys will actually go up to homes now, and rattle...
The second season of the reconstructed historic carousel started on Prague’s Letná on Thursday. The monument was bought in 2004 by the National Technical Museum because it is one of the oldest surviving floor carousels in Europe. At that time, however, the carousel was in a state of disrepair, despite having been declared a monument in 1991. The carousel was originally built in 1892 by carpenter Matěj Bílek and placed inside Royal Vinohrady which were not yet a part of the city of Prague. Two years later, in 1894, the carousel was moved into what was then the royal capital city of Prague and placed inside Letná park, where it still stands today. It is the oldest intact carousel of its kind in Europe. Last year, the season started on July 11 and ran until the end of October. “It was a test year. It proved that the reconstruction went well because it was fully operational and had no defects that needed to be removed,” Karel Ksandr, director-general of the National Technical Museum, said at a press conference. This year, the carousel will operate from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays until October, and both children and adults can ride...
by Kristina Kratochvilová Jim Jefferies is one of the most famous and respected comedians in the world. He jokes about gun control and climate change as easily as about fucking his wife and the death of his mother. He unfolds his whole life to his audience and his audience loves him for it. Jefferies is currently on a world tour called Give Em What They Want and he will perform in Prague on April 21 at Kongresové centrum. You started your stand-up comedy career quite a long time ago. What’s the most fucked up thing that ever happened during your shows? That’s a tricky question. I had fans trying to climb up the stage or yell at me, but that’s not very common. Most of the time the most fucked up things happened on the stage. Before I gave up drinking they were mostly my fault. So I would say being black-out drunk during a big arena show might have been the most fucked up thing I’ve experienced. Did you manage to go through the whole show even though you were so fucked up? I’ve been drunk during a lot of shows, but some shows were really bad, so...
Charles University was founded by Karel IV, King of Bohemia and King of the Romans, on April 7, 1348. It was the first university north of the Alps and east of Paris. Charles University is one of the oldest universities in Europe. Following the model of Paris University, Charles University was to consist of four faculties – the faculty of arts, theology and law and medicine faculty. The members of the Prague university community belonged to four different „nations“ – these were the Czech, Polish, Bavarian, and Saxon nations. The new university soon made a name in the whole of Europe, and that‘s why thousands of students from many countries came to study here. In its beginnings, the university had no building of its own, lectures were read in the monasteries and private dwellings of university masters. It was only in 1366 that Charles IV founded a college near the Church of St. Nicholas, but this was not big enough and it was necessary to find additional premises. Thus, 22 years later, the university moved into Rothley House, today’s Carolinum. In 1784 German was introduced as the teaching language instead of Latin and it was used exclusively till 1882 when the...
In English, the name “Good Friday” is generally believed to be a corruption of “God’s Friday.” From very early times, the Holy Day has been observed by Christians everywhere as the most solemn feast of the year, a day of sadness, mourning, fasting and prayer, when the Passion and Death of our Lord is remembered in countless churches by services of sorrow and gratitude. Good Friday was always regarded by the Roman Catholic Church as the day of greatest grief in the Church. It’s the only day in the year when Mass is not held anywhere in the world. Also, organs are silent, all ornaments are cleared from the altar, and no lights are burned. The cross is shrouded in a black veil. Great Friday (Velký pátek) is the popular name for the day in the Czech Republic. Velký pátek is a day of fasting for Roman Catholics who will not eat meat until Saturday evening after the church bells start ringing on their legendary return from Rome. On Velký pátek, Czech and Moravian cooks prepare their holiday bread (coffee cake) which must not be cut or eaten until the priest says, “Christ is risen!” (Kristus vstal z mrtvých!) on...
Step into the enchanting world of Castle Blatna’s park, widely recognized as one of the most beautiful parks in the Czech Republic. Roam the picturesque grounds and take in the breathtaking scenery, perfect for leisurely strolls and photo opportunities. The real stars of Castle Blatna, however, are the resident Alpacas and Fallow deer. Don’t miss your chance to get up close and personal with these gentle creatures during your visit. Embark on a magical journey to Castle Blatna this Easter weekend, and create memories that will last a lifetime. About Castle Blatna Its origins are traced back to the 13th century, with additions and renovations made over the centuries. The current appearance of the castle dates back to the 16th century when it was transformed into a Renaissance-style chateau. The castle was later acquired by the Schwarzenberg family, who were responsible for the majority of the castle’s interior and exterior renovations. Today, the castle stands as a remarkable testament to Czech architecture and history, with its original features and unique character attracting visitors from around the world. You can admire its imposing façade, a blend of Gothic and Renaissance elements, and its stunning interior spaces that are adorned with ornate...
The Czech government has approved a new drugs strategy to run until the end of 2025 that includes the introduction of a strictly regulated market in cannabis. The exact rules of the action plan are set to be set by an expert group, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The Czech Republic is considered one of the most liberal countries regarding cannabis legislation. Although its recreational use is still illegal, it decriminalized cannabis possession for personal use in 2010 and legalized medical cannabis in 2013. In addition, the Czech Republic is one of the few European countries that cultivate hemp with a THC content of up to 1% for industrial purposes. In comparison, other EU member state legislations have set the limit to about 0.2%, although the European Union recently decided to increase the THC level from 0.2% to 0.3% for authorized hemp crops used for industrial purposes. Hence, the regulation of the recreational market appears to be a natural path to follow for a country in which about 30% of the adults have tried cannabis, and 8% to 9% use it regularly, according to the Addiction Report released in August by the National Monitoring...
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