Deep inside the Brdy Highlands forests in the Czech Republic hides a former nuclear warhead depot. Between 1968 and 1990, it was fully under Soviet Army control, and no Czech citizen was allowed to enter. Now, it is once again open to the public. Scud, Luna, and Tocka short-range ballistic missiles were attached to the warheads and were able to launch in two hours and twenty minutes and reach cities including Munich, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart. The site is one of twenty-four nuclear depots in Eastern Europe and the only one in the world open for the public. Iron Curtain Foundation director Vaclav Vitovec said this was one the most secretive places in former Czechoslovakia. “This was the most-watched, most hidden place in former Czechoslovakia, protected with three perimeters where soldiers were shooting without warning. Above was no-flight zone which was confirmed also by supersonic pilots who visited this Atom Museum.” Vitovec succeeded in obtaining the bunker for his Iron Curtain Foundation and has also opened a rare Atom Museum. His main goal is to show people the pointlessness of nuclear armament that can destroy the world. During the cold war, the nuclear arsenal of the nine countries with nuclear capabilities...
Bolt, the ride-share company which was formerly called Taxify, has launched electric kick scooters in Prague. “Beating the traffic is a big issue in cities like Prague and a lot of trips are much more efficiently covered with an electric scooter rather than a car with a driver,” says Markus Villig, CEO and co-founder of Bolt. There will be 500 virtual stands that were chosen by Bolt within the city districts, where one can park their scooter. The price per minute will be 2.50 CZK. The new scooter weighs 17kg, which makes it the lightest model used in scooter sharing. This reduced weight is achieved through the scooter being made of 90% aluminium. The scooter features inflatable tires that help ensure better grip and smoother, safer rides. It can go for more than 40km on a single charge. Its maximum speed is 25km/h. But this is obviously limited according to local regulations. The scooter also features front and rear lights, as well as front and side reflectors to help maintain riders’ safety during dark hours. “We think that’s a price point where really everyone can start using the service,” Bolt’s 27-year-old chief executive and co-founder Markus Villig said. Bolt is one of...
On July 16, 2021, the Czech President signed a law to amend the law on the insurance of foreigners living in the Czech Republic. Certain groups of foreigners with long-term residency in the Czech Republic do not have access to the public health insurance system and have to be insured by private insurance companies. The current amendments establish that this private insurance will, for the next five years, be provided only by the commercial subsidiary of the private health insurance company pVZP. After this five-year period, foreigners would be able to choose among different private insurance again. Will insurance become more expensive? pVZP has already informed partners that there are no plans for a price increase in the near future. At the moment, the cost of pVZP annual insurance ranges from 12,800 CZK up to 15,900 CZK for annual insurance. Can you save money? You can buy insurance cheaper (for example, for 6000, – Kč / year – comprehensive insurance Maxima) for several years in advance. This will save you thousands of crowns on future contracts. We recommend that you take out insurance before the law comes into force with a reliable partner of Prague Morning – Red Panda® I bought insurance...
As electric car sales take off and petrol engines face being phased out by 2035, Europe is looking to develop its own battery production base. Far from being autonomous, Europe needs to accelerate domestic battery output as a national security issue as well as a boost for businesses and jobs. Batteries that power electric cars and which weigh up to 600 kilograms (1,300 pounds), represent a considerable part of the vehicle’s value. At the moment, they are mostly produced in Asia, with China, South Korea and Japan the leading manufacturers. The Czech government approved on Monday a memorandum between the state and energy company ČEZ on a future gigafactory project, which would produce batteries for electric vehicles, at a €2 billion investment from the state budget. According to news site Seznam Zprávy, the project could involve Volkswagen or South Korean company LG, but the Czech government has so far refused to comment on possible partners. Industry Minister Karel Havlíček emphasised that the gigafactory project could create at least 2,300 jobs. Such investment is considered crucial for the Czech Republic, which is largely dependent on the automotive industry. The memorandum states that the gigafactory is a “strategic project that could accelerate...
At Friday’s opening ceremony at the Tokyo Olympics, the Czech Olympians walked in clothing designed by designer Zuzana Osako. The collection was praised by both Czech flag bearers Petra Kvitová and Tomáš Satoranský but also by the U.S. Forbes magazine, which ranked it among the eight most remarkable Olympic fashion collections at the opening ceremony. The traditional blue print technique, which was used on men’s vests and women’s jackets, was chosen to combine Czech and Japanese culture. The men’s part of the collection also consisted of white trousers and shirts as a complement to the women’s part of a white dress. These clothes were inspired by the clothes worn by the Czech team at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964, where gymnast Věra Čáslavská became famous. The whole outfit was then complemented by red shoes, fans, and bast bags. Both flag bearers of the Czech team, tennis player Petra Kvitová and basketball player Tomáš Satoranský, praised the collection. “As we went there, I heard that we had one of the six most beautiful collections. In any event, we were different. When I saw the other countries, some came in a tracksuit, which didn’t seem so cool to me. Czechs...
In view of the improving epidemiological situation, the government has agreed to loosen coronavirus restrictions faster than originally planned. As of Sunday, August 1, the attendance limit for public events at indoor venues will be raised to 3,000 people and 7,000 people at outdoor venues. The changes at the press conference after Monday’s government meeting were announced by the Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch (ANO). Mandatory space for standing spectators will be raised from four to two square meters per person. Dancing will once again be allowed at dance clubs and discos. Swimming pools will be able to operate at full capacity, galleries and exhibitions at 75 percent capacity. Other changes will come into effect from August 1. There will be no capacity limit in swimming pools (at the moment operators can fill it to 75 percent). All visits to Czech castles and ZOOs will be without admission restrictions for groups with less than 20 members. According to Vojtěch, the government agreed to loosen coronavirus restrictions on the basis that the epidemic situation is stagnant. “We do not observe any major negative aspects, considering both the number of new positive cases or the number of hospitalizations,” he added. The Health...
The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) rejected the cassation complaint of bicycle operators against the judgment of the Municipal Court in Prague. The decision cannot be appealed. The pedal-powered vehicles resemble small trailers more than bicycles and are configured to work as bars on wheels. Passengers sit around a table on stools fitted with pedals and trundle around the city while they are served beer and other drinks. Beer bikes have long angered Prague residents, who complain they block roads and cycling paths and encourage drunk and rowdy tourists. “Beer bikes are degrading for the city and especially for the people who live here. Every business in a public space must operate under clearly defined conditions and with the consent of local and city districts. There is an important lesson to be learned after this decision: perseverance pays off and gives additional strength to the fight for the quality of life of the locals. Prague is supposed to be the home of Praguers, not alco-tourism,” said the mayor’s deputy Adam Scheinherr (Praha sobě). The difficulty to regulate beer bikes stemmed from the fact that they don’t fall, as non-motorized vehicles of their own kind, under a specific category of the law....
Starting from Monday, July 26, Transavia will renew the line from Prague to Eindhoven. The Air France-KLM group’s low-cost subsidiary will fly up to four times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Tickets will be starting at approximately 500 CZK. Transavia is a low-cost airline that has flown passengers to over 110 locations in Europe and North Africa over the past 50 years. There is no other airline flying directly from Prague to Eindhoven, but Ryanair is planning to resume service on this route from the winter flight schedule. Transavia has a fleet of 73 Boeing 737 aircraft, primarily of the 800 series, that is youthful and ecologically efficient. Transavia is planning to relaunch another service from Prague to Paris’ Orly Airport on September 6. Vueling, on the other hand, comes to an end on this line. As per the latest statistics, nearly 289 thousand passengers passed through the gates of Václav Havel Airport Prague in June 2021, representing an increase of over 650 percent compared to June 2020 when the air traffic slowly began to recover after the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. About Transavia Transavia Airlines C.V., trading as Transavia and formerly branded as transavia.com, is a Dutch...
When you don’t want to go home from work, the next best option is to have a beer with some friends. We have written a list of the coolest spots to try because, as it often is, the largest and most famous gardens are not always the best choice. Everyone knows Letná or Riegrovy Sady beer gardens, and upon a couple of visits, those get a bit boring. Plus, there is nothing more exciting than discovering new favorite places in the capital. U Sadu The legendary pub, known for its menu full of quite unhealthy but tasty options, is located on the border of Vinohrady and Žižkov. But above all, it is famous for offering an infinite number of beer types. We recommend testing their hand-made Sádek beer from the brewery of the same name. Where: Škroupovo nám. 1282/5, 130 00 Prague 3 – Žižkov Pod Lipami On one of the most beautiful streets in Prague, there is a small unnoticeable cafe – Pod Lipami. It’s hidden behind low bushes but has a spacious and pleasant garden. The place operates more like a cafe or a bistro, but we definitely recommend it for nice beer options as well. Where: Čechova...
Czech Republic has the third-highest rate of obesity in the EU with 60% of the population is classified as obese, according to figures published by the European Commission. The lowest share of overweight people is among those aged 18-24, at just over 20%, while this figure rose to over 60% of those aged 65 to 74. The EU member states with the most overweight adults were Croatia and Malta (65%). In contrast, the lowest share was found in Italy and France with 45 per cent of adults overweight. People are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) – a measure of a person’s body fat which is based on their weight relative to their height – of 25 or more. A person’s BMI is calculated by their weight in kilogrammes being divided by the square of their height in metres. High BMI Adults with a BMI of 30 or higher are considered obese, while a BMI in the range 18.5-25 is classified as normal. Overall, the Eurostat figures which contain the first results of the European Health Interview Survey show that just over half of all adults in the EU are overweight. While 45 per cent had...
About fifteen percent of people checked by police and hygienists on Saturday night in bars, dance clubs in Prague breached anti-epidemic measures, the website of the Prague Hygiene Office reports. They checked about 170 people, 24 of whom were fined on the spot for a total of 12,000 CZK. Police and hygienists performed five inspections. “They primarily focused on controlling nightclubs, music and dance clubs in the center of the metropolis,” said hygienists. The report states that the main rules being breached included failing to show evidence of being tested or vaccinated and not upholding social distancing rules. Upon entry, it is necessary to prove you were fully vaccinated at least 14 days beforehand, submit a negative test, or to proof you have recovered from Coronavirus in the preceding 180 days. Police officers also came across violations regarding the ban on dancing, and for not upholding social distancing rules. In some places, there was also a lack of disinfectants for customers. Current rules for restaurants and other culinary establishments: At each table, only four guests can be seated. More guests are allowed to be seated at a table with 10 or more seats. Spacing of 1.5 meters between groups is...
A group of major European spa towns was added to the highly prized World Heritage list on Saturday for their “exceptional testimony to the European spa phenomenon” from the 18th century to the 1930s, Unesco said. This includes Baden bei Wien in Austria, Spa in Belgium, Karlovy Vary, Františkovy Lázně and Mariánské Lázně in the Czech Republic, Vichy in France, Bad Ems, Baden-Baden and Bad Kissingen in Germany, Montecatini Terme in Italy, and Bath in the United Kingdom. The World Heritage Committee, meeting in China for its annual session to review the list of world heritage sites, said the group captured “the most fashionable, dynamic and international spa towns among the many hundreds that contributed to the European spa phenomenon”. “Whilst each spa town is different, all the towns developed around mineral water sources, which were the catalyst for a model of spatial organisation dedicated to curative, therapeutic, recreational and social functions,” it said. Karlovy Vary Karlovy Vary, also known as Carlsbad, is a charming little spa town known for its amazing variety of healing thermal springs. The area offers a variety of walking paths you can use to get to the various springs to relax in, many of which...
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