On the night of Thursday, 17 February, the Czech Republic was hit by a strong storm. On the highest mountain of the country, Snezka, the wind speed reached 181 km/h. In low-lying areas, including Prague, it reached 90 km/h, which corresponds to a strong storm on the Beaufort scale. As of 10 am, the bad weather left more than 300 thousand households without electricity. The wind broke down branches of trees that cut off power lines, blocking railways and roads. Transport along several railway lines was disrupted and many roads were closed to traffic. The worst damage is reported in the Central Bohemia, Pilsen and Karlovy Vary regions. No injuries or casualties have yet been reported. There are 270,000 ČEZ customers and 40,000 E.ON customers without electricity. The remaining suppliers have not provided their data. “We are still in the thick of a major storm that has created storm conditions, and despite those difficult conditions in the field, our crews continue restoring power and making system repairs when it is safe to do so,” said the vice president for ČEZ. A gale force wind alert remains in place until midnight for the whole of the country.
Hammering home the city of Ostrava’s transformation from an industrial coal and metal mining center in the 20th century to the modern metropolis it is today, CHYBIK + KRISTOF has revealed plans for the Czech Republic’s tallest building: Ostrava Tower. Subtly shaped like an X, the 56-story, the 235-meters-tall tower is the latest piece of urban infill for Ostrava, as industrial lots have given way to new residential and cultural buildings such as Steven Holl’s 2019 concert hall. Flaring at the base and pinnacle and cinched at the waist with a 90-degree turn between the top and bottom, each of the three points contains public spaces; a barrier-free ground floor to allow for a seamless transition for pedestrians from the plaza at base level and the local bus terminal, and a public bar, cafe, and restaurant with panoramic views of the city at the very top. In between those two terminuses will sit residential units, offices, a hotel, retail, and a “congress centre”. “Rethinking the typology of the skyscraper,” said architect Michal Kristof, co-founder of CHK, in the project’s announcement, “and its function to serve the public and activate the urban environment, one of our core missions was to create a positive social impact in the heart of...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. State pensions will be increased in June in view of the high rate of inflation, the Czech government announced on Wednesday. Old-age and widows and widowers pensions, as well as benefits for the handicapped will go up by 8.2 percent. According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS), today’s government approved compensation for entrepreneurs. It will give up to CZK 5 billion from the budget. Four support programs will be available. The average mortgage rate in the Czech Republic climbed to 3.43 percent in January from 2.99 percent the previous month, the single biggest one-month jump since 2003. The mortgage rate could reach around 5.5 percent in the second half of 2022. The Czech Republic has registered over 3.4 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020 and the latest 100,000 new confirmed cases occurred over five days. The CEO of Czech Railways (ČD), Mr. Ivan Bednárik, has announced he will resign on February 28. He would not comment on his resignation, except to say that...
The future of the former Žižkov Freight Station (nákladové nádraží Žižkov) in Prague 3 is finally becoming clear. Central Group, together with representatives of the city and the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR), officially launched the construction of a new district in the northern part of the now unused Žižkov Freight Station (nákladové nádraží Žižkov). The developer plans to build 2,500 flats, a secondary school, two elementary schools, several kindergartens, and a park. The first block should be ready in two years. According to Central Group, the new district will be the largest project ever to be created on a brownfield site. Central Group bought the land from the original developer Discovery Group in 2016, who planned to build a giant shopping centre with offices, a hotel and several apartments. “We completely redesigned the whole project. Together with the planned construction in the former Telekom area, the park district is one-third lower than originally planned. This will logically reduce the traffic load as well,” said Dušan Kunovský, founder of Central Group. The costs have risen from 14 to 20 billion. “Unfortunately, the costs have shifted to huge amounts, due to the increase in energy and construction work prices. I honestly did...
The 19th century, among many other innovations, saw the rise of the bicycle. Early models were not exactly ideal; the cycle had no pedals, and the cyclist had to push it with his feet while seated (women did not cycle in those days). 1858 was the year that pedals were added to the machine, creating an effective, if rough, ride for enthusiasts of the “velocipede”. In 1869 the iron wheels on velocipedes were replaced with wheels of solid rubber, and the term “bicycle” was used for the first time. On November 16, 1880, the Czech Velocipedists’ Association was established in a brewery in Smíchov. The young men who founded it were particularly fond of the bicycle known as the “penny farthing”, on which the front wheel is enormous, while the rear wheel is much smaller. This bicycle, also known as an “ordinary” or a “high wheeler”, gets its name from the penny and farthing coins in the United Kingdom; a side view of this cycle looks vaguely like a penny pulling a farthing behind it. The Czech Velocipedists’ Association was only the second such organization in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the first in Bohemia. The first outing of the...
Near Dolní Břežany, 20km from Prague, you will find the largest Celtic town in Bohemia. At the top, there is a new cylindrical structure made of larch wood that stretches to 32 meters high. The lookout tower was designed by architect Martin Rajniš and opened to visitors just before Christmas. The Celtic town itself is a national cultural monument and has found its place among tourists. “It is actually a very interesting village, which was inhabited from the late Stone Age to the Early Middle Ages,” says Lucie Vospělová, head of the Department of Culture. The construction of the lookout tower began in September 2021. It consists of three wooden pillars surrounding a circular staircase. The whole structure is fastened to the ground by steel rods. It is 32 meters high, but visitors can ascend to the viewing platform, which is located at a height of 24 meters. “People can have a great view of Prague, and also at the Central Bohemian Region,” describes Vospělová. In the summertime, you can see not only the tallest buildings in Prague but also the TV transmitter Cukrák and much more. “At the moment, we are preparing a virtual exhibition, and visitors will be...
Nostalgia for Czechs returns in the making of the new movie “Children of Nagano / Děti Nagana” which takes place when the Czech Republic won the historic gold medal against Russia in the 1998 Winter Olympics with their national ice-hockey team. Dan Pánek, filmmaker and director is creating a film which tells a tale of a young ice-hockey dreamer during this monumental time, which will bring back nostalgic memories to viewers. 1998 saw the Czech Republic win the gold medal against Russia in the ice-hockey Winter Olympics. The Czechs completed an astonishing run through the tournament with a thrilling 1-0 victory over Russia. Jubilant crowds turned central Prague into a massive street party on the day of victory as they hailed the national team’s historic Olympic gold medal. Dan explains how he remembers this historic win and how proud the Czech people were at this time. He explains “It was a crazy time. There was a sense of unity and proudness in the air. Everyone was proud to be Czech and wanted to celebrate this amazing win.” Since this triumph, people are disconnected from ice hockey and there is a lack of passion and unity for the sport. Dan wants...
Kyiv Mayor, UDAR leader Vitali Klitschko has met with Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, who arrived in Kyiv to express their support and solidarity with Ukraine, as well as discuss Kyiv’s accession to the Pact of Free Cities with Klitschko. During the meeting, Klitschko noted that the visit of the mayors of European cities is very important for Ukrainians and for him personally. “Today is a very dramatic moment for my country. Ukraine, for all the time of independence, has never faced such a threat. A threat to its statehood, territorial integrity, its citizens. We are a peaceful state and a peaceful people. And we do not threaten anyone,” Klitschko said. “But we will protect our freedom and independence, our land from any aggressor. And today the support of every partner, every friend of Ukraine and Kyiv is important to us. And the wider and more powerful such support is, the more deterrence there will be for Russia to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the likelihood of which is very high today,” he added. He thanked his colleagues and noted that the very fact of their visit to Kyiv at such a dramatic moment is...
Article by Vita Cafnik, pre-school teacher at Cherry Tree, an English-speaking preschool in the heart of Vinohrady. If you are looking for ways to spend some good quality intellectual time with your kids, you can prepare your monocles and get your mustache-twisting fingers ready, as we have visited some of Prague’s museums, and found three wonderful gems, that are a joy for the whole family. Prague truly has a lot to offer culture-wise, and amongst countless museums and galleries, here are just a few that caught our attention. So if winter months give you the blues, let these places bring some color into your world. National Museum of Agriculture National Museum of Agriculture mastered the art of making its exhibitions fun for the whole family. With its interactive nature and playful science, it will charm the pickiest of visitors. The museum is worth visiting for the beautiful rooftop garden alone, and the picturesque view of the Prague that surrounds it, however, I would not recommend missing a single exhibition, as each one offers a unique and fascinating view into one of our most important inventions. You can look forward to a journey through stories of agriculture, forestry, gastronomy and food...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. Preventive PCR tests for COVID probably will stop being covered by the public health insurance system in Czechia as of March, unless a doctor or public health officer asked for it, Deputy Health Minister Josef Pavlovic (Pirates) told CTK today. Konsent and Amnesty International (AI) NGOs promoting human and women’s rights held a protest rally near the Czech Chamber of Deputies yesterday to call for a change in the legal definition of rape, arguing that sexual intercourse without consent should be considered as rape, too. The Czech Republic should see above-average temperatures in the coming weeks, expected to reach up to 15 degrees Celsius. The average day temperature should be above 8 degrees Celsius. Kofola group’s sales rose 7.5 percent yearly to CZK 6.636 billion last year. According to the preliminary results, EBITDA (operating profit before depreciation and amortization) rose 9.2 percent to CZK 1.125 billion, returning to the level before the coronavirus pandemic. Some 11.4 million tourists stayed in accommodation facilities in the Czech Republic in 2021, which represents a...
This day trip is part of the original Day Trips series – Discovering Czechia, launched by Jumages Travel. Czech Switzerland (also known as Bohemian Switzerland) is is a picturesque region in the north-western Czech Republic. It lies on the Czech side of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains on both sides of the Elbe River. It is one of Europe’s last large wildernesses – the most beautiful parts of this region, with its valuable flora and fauna, protected as a cross-border national park. The incredible Pravčická gate is the jewel of Bohemian Switzerland. 16 meters high with its 27 meters span – true gate to a world of romantic rivers, overwhelming rock towns, dreamy valleys and picturesque villages. It is the queen of this landscape, and no one can say to have been in Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland without having visited it. If the arch looks familiar, it’s because it was used for several key scenes in the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Passing under the arch of the Pravčická gate along the paths and stairs you can climb to the observation platforms, from where the landscapes of the mountain range open up with stunning beauty. The...
This Saturday, February 19, you can take part in a day trip launched by Jumages Travel. It’s hard to believe, but millions of years ago a warm sea lapped in the north of the Czech Republic. When the sea dried up, it left behind layers of soft sedimentary rocks that were washed away by water, destroyed by winds, and melted like a block of sugar. And so these strange outlines were formed, reminiscent of the figures of people and animals. The Adršpach rock city. The various formations, sculpted in the sandstone by forces of nature, were given romantic names such as Lovers (Milenci), Jug (Džbán), Mayor and his wife (Starosta a Starostová), Sugarloaf (Homole cukru) and many more. A small reservoir named Adršpach Lake was built on the Metuje River flowing through the upper part of the Wolf Gorge. Visitors can take a rowboat ride across the reservoir and admire the Great Waterfall. Bizarre shady gorges attract filmmakers from all over the world: some episodes of The Lord of the Rings were filmed here. As well as The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Third Prince. This Saturday, 12.02, you can walk among the rocks, pretending that we are walking at...
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