Prague Christmas Tree to Light Up on November 26

This year’s Christmas tree for Prague has been felled and preparations are underway for its transport to the Czech capital.

The 25-metre tall spruce tree will grace Prague’s Old Town Square and will be officially lit on November 26th.

The spruce tree is 58 years old and will leave the town of Kytlice for Prague on Sunday afternoon.

“For safety reasons, the tree had to be tied to a crane rope at a height of about two-thirds and only then can the actual felling begin. Subsequently, the branches at the bottom of the trunk must be trimmed and the trunk machined to fit into the two-metre deep anchor shaft on Old Town Square,” described Tomáš Jílek, chairman of the board of directors of the company Technologie hlavního města Prahy (THMP).

“The Christmas tree must not only be beautiful and healthy but also accessible for heavy equipment,” explained Hana Tietze, spokeswoman for Taiko, the company that organises Prague’s Christmas markets.

On Sunday afternoon, the massive tree will be transported by truck to a logistics facility near Mělník. “The tree will arrive at Old Town Square in the early morning hours of Tuesday, 22 November. The transport will take place at night in order to disrupt traffic in Prague as little as possible,” explained Tomáš Novotný, Vice-Chairman of the THMP Board of Directors.

Then it will be ready for Saturday’s lighting ceremony. THMP staff will use energy-saving LED technology to illuminate the Christmas tree, promising that the ongoing energy crisis should not disrupt the festive atmosphere. The Christmas tree will be lit from 4 p.m. to midnight each day.