prague Archives – Page 15 of 28

Transport measurements from the 10th to the 12th of October 2019

Information about the transport changes related to the funeral ceremony, the Signal Festival and the football match Czech Republic – England.

Transport measurements during the funeral ceremony in Žofín

Visitors to the funeral ceremony on Friday 11th October, are advised to use the Line B (yellow) with exit at Národní třída station and with a walking distance of approximately 10 minutes to Slovanský Ostrov. When leaving, use the Karlovo náměstí station.
Line number 17 will be diverted from 5.00 to 24.00 through the Staroměstská – Národní divadlo – Národní třída – Myslíkova – Jiráskovo náměstí stops.
On the tram, expect delays and irregularities with lines going to the National Theater (2, 9, 17, 18, 22 and 23).
Metro services will boost on all routes between 7.00 and 24.00.
We advise passengers using public transport on Friday to go to their destinations a little earlier and preferably to take the subway than the tram.
Individual transport drivers are urged to avoid the area of the National Theater and the adjacent bridges.

Transport measurements during the Signal Festival 2019

As part of the event, an evening laser projection on the Vltava River, near the National Theater building, will take place from Thursday 10th October to Sunday 13th October 2019. We recommend the visitors to take the “green line A of Prague metro” with exit at the Staroměstská station or the “yellow line B of the Prague metro” with exit at the Národní třída station.
Trams will be excluded on the adjacent Legion Bridge on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 7 pm to midnight.
Line 22 will divert via the Staroměstská stop and line 9 via the Jiráskovo náměstí stop.

Transport measurements during the football match with England

Visitors of the Sinobo Stadium (Arena Eden) football match on Friday 11th October, are advised to use the “green line A of the Prague metro” with the exit at Želivského or Strašnická stations, with a walking distance of approximately 10 minutes to the stadium.
After the end of the match (at around 23:00) the tram and bus services at Slavia stop will be boosted for a short time. We recommend a short walk to both the nearest metro stations.
We emphasize the lack of parking spaces around the stadium.

Transport measurements during the funeral ceremony at the Prague Castle Cathedral

Visitors to the funeral ceremony on Saturday 12th October 2019 are advised to take the tram lines 22 and 23 from the Malostranská metro station to Brusnice or Pohořelec.

The house where Jan Palach grew up in Všetaty officially opens today as a memorial featuring a multimedia exposition. The opening ceremony was attended by the minister of culture and Cardinal Dominik Duka.

The house was purchased in 2014 and was in poor condition due to it being uninhabited for many years. An architectural competition was held to find a plan to renovate the building, and a design was chosen in May 2016.

The National Museum got a building permit in early 2018 but had difficulty finding a contractor for the amount of money offered. One was finally chosen and work began in August 2018.

The house will contain objects from Palach’s life as well as displays to put the events of 1968 and ’69 into context. Among the items is Palach’s briefcase, which was found on the spot where he set himself on fire, and a letter found within it.

Source: National Museum

January 16, 1968

Jan Palach had seen the hope of Dubcek’s promise of a better life and it must have been hard when this hope was crushed. He and others like him were sure to protest but about what? In the case of Jan Palach, it was not to protest the Soviet invasion, it was to protest the effect on the Czech population that had become despondent and demoralized to the point where “acceptance of the new order” and “apathy” in respect to the choice of not protesting were widespread.

Jan Palach then decides to do something which eventually will turn him into a national icon. Having walked to the top of Wenceslas Square and standing directly in front of the National Museum, he poured petrol over his clothes and set himself on fire.

After being taken to hospital he was looked after by Dr. Jaroslava Moserova (she ran for the post of Czech President in 2005) and she listened to his reasoning until Jan Palach died on January 19th, 1969.

Prague is a very well-known tourist place that provides travellers tourists with a variety of choices when it comes to restaurants and eateries. From different ethnic cuisines to even American fast foods—KFC and McDonald’s are popular here—people from all over who come to visit Prague can still feel close to home when it comes to eating at a restaurant.

Adding itself to this list of ethnic cultural cuisine is the Australian family-pub that has been making a name for itself for three months now: The Down Under.

Bringing some of Australia to the city life, Ashley McGlynn—the Down Under founder—fell in love with hospitality at the age of 14, when he started working for his godfather at a restaurant back in Sydney. Although he held down odd jobs in his early years in Prague (i.e. English teaching, journalist, tour-guiding), Ashley never lost touch with his first love.

Photo: Mike von Köppe

Ashley describes Australia as being a “mixed-bred” nation. “The bulk of the country is built on people who immigrated, who were running from something, escaping from or for something, or looking for something new,” he said. “You have Greek-Australians, Italian-Australians, Asian-Australians…[so many different mixed ethnicities]. That’s what Australia is.” This description of Australia, along with his own multiethnic background (Scottish, Hungarian, Irish, Austrian, English, Norwegian), allows Ashley to create Australian-styled meals but also include influences from other parts of the world. For instance, the dim sim dish is inspired by Asian cuisine dim sum. Moreover, the restaurant also includes a vegan and kid’s menu for those with dietary or age restrictions.

The Sydney-born restaurant owner travelled to Prague for the first time at 20 years old, when he was backpacking around Europe for about a year after completing his studies back home. Ashley fell in love with the Czech Republic’s capital.

“There was just something about Prague that really— I just felt comfortable [here]. It felt safe…still had that area of [post]communism, that gray blanket hanging over, which made Prague more authentic in 1998, to me,” Ashley said. He stayed in Prague for about a month before returning back to Australia.

It would be another 15 years before Ashley returned to Prague and permanently reside there. He met his wife, who is Czech, back in 2002 at a bar in Sydney, a moment that was “divine intervention.” They married four years later in the Czech Republic, returned to Australia for a little while, then finally decided to settle in Prague in 2013. Around this time in November, Ashley opened up The Pie Shop.

The pie shop story is quite a humorous one. After being out late and drunk one night with his father, they both were left craving pie (eating pie after getting drunk is common in Australia). However, they realized there was not any pie shops in Prague. This led Ashley to the idea of creating and opening up one here himself. And so it was, the Aussie Pie Shop was born and has been flourishing steadily ever since.

Photo: Mike von Köppe

“Were very proud of what we created. It has gained and almost like following, especially in pubs…people telling others about our pies. It’s fantastic!”

Ashley explained further, the new home of the Pie Shop, The Down Under, was not as glamourous when he first saw it. “There had been no tenant for months, it smelt and was very dark.” However, it didn’t stop him and his partner from seeing what they could create, with a lot of confidence taken from the Pie Shop’s success.

The Pie Shop’s pie is more British in style, due to its delicious shortcrust pastry, and it buttery and delectable, unlike normal Australian pies that are made from puff pastry. In addition, the British market here in Prague is larger than Australian, nonetheless, the pies are still made in Australian style.

The Aussie Pie Shop may still be a small business but as Ashley stated himself, he is “hoping to expand it with bigger business ideas. There’s a different kind of energy here…[and] I want the pies to have a bigger, better home here, too.” In general, Ashley has been expanding his own business ideas, and the recent move to the bigger family-friendly venue of The Down Under works with the plan.

In this larger home, Ashley is trying to merge his bigger business plans and other things together into one restaurant or venue. The Down under also includes and super comfortable sports bar area, as Ashley is a bit sports-crazy himself, with the desire to create a new and unique sports bar atmosphere.

But the Down Under is more than just a home of pies and sports; it’s home for the whole family. This is why Ashley describes it as a family venue. With good food and sports to boot, the last piece in the family gigsaw is the massive kids corner, catering for mums and kids alike.

“I don’t want people to just come in and go. I want them to stay for three hours. Stay for coffee, breakfast, a few beers, eat in, etc. We’re not a hi-and-bye business. We’re a pub with good food, sports, and kids corner. I want people to be comfortable here. I don’t want bucks parties or groups of party people here. Although there’s great money in them, I believe I will do much better with this business,” Ashley stated.

Photo: Wolt

Photo: Mike von Köppe

Prague ranks #3 among the 50 most cultured cities in Europe and number one in Central Europe, in a list researched and compiled by Wanderu, a travel search platform, and fare aggregator.

Using a specific methodology, the Boston, Massachusetts-based Wanderu calculated the density of culturally important sites across European cities to determine the “most cultured” ones in Europe. The platform said its research looked at every city in Europe with a population of more than 300,000 and it built its rankings based on the total number of cultural landmarks such as museums, universities, historic sites, theatres and churches and cathedrals per capita.

Prague ranks 1st also as a city with the most theaters per capita (1 for every 12,957 people), followed by Paris, and Lyon.

Their sample size consisted of every city in Europe with a population of more than 300,000 and they built our rankings based on:

the number of universities per capita,
the number of museums per capita,
the number of churches and cathedrals per capita,
the number of historic sites per capita,
and the number of theaters per capita.

Source: wanderu

Source: wanderu

Have you ever been to the theatre for a 3D musical? “Alice in Wonderland” is a family musical inspired by Lewis Carroll’s fairytale with the use of 3D technology glasses.

Already played in Germany, Russia, Austria, and Switzerland, this performance has now finally arrived in the Czech Republic. The show takes place in Prague, at Divadlo pod Palmovkou, from the 18th to the 20th of October. Through 1 hour and 20 minutes, 14 actors bring the audience to a breathtaking world, making Wonderland a tangible reality thanks to 3D technologies.

This 3D musical of the timeless classic takes you down the rabbit hole to a land of adventures where nothing is as it seems. Innovative technologies, virtual decoration sets, special effects, and unique 3D glasses, immerse the spectators in a world of dreams and fantasies.

The story tells us about a present-day Alice, who dreams about succeeding and moves to a fantasy world inhabited by fascinating creatures, experiencing interesting situations. Full of suspense and adventures, the performance shows Alice’s journey into the world of show business. On the path to succeeding and becoming a ‘start’, she will learn and realize that social life and fame will not replace genuine friendship and love.

You will be fascinated by the fabulous atmosphere and plot, and captivated by the subtle ironic parody of the modern scene. All your favourite characters from the beloved books make this a magical experience for the whole family, as it is a universal tale that reaches out to everyone.

Even in a modern world, where reality and fiction coexist, there is room for true wonders, love, hope, and dream. Follow the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole for an enchanting Alice in Wonderland performance.

For more information, click here

The Slav Epic cycle of paintings by Czech Art-Nouveau artist Alfons Mucha will be exhibited at Moravsky Krumlov chateau in southern Moravia for at least five years until Prague will have a suitable venue for the monumental works of art, the Prague City Council decided on Monday.

The city of Moravský Krumlov, which was in charge of the cycle of 20 outsize paintings from the 1950s to 2010, has said it can ready them for a public exhibition within a matter of months.

Prague has long claimed ownership and took possession of the paintings after a protracted decade-long dispute. Moravský Krumlov says that if the town had not hidden and protected the paintings after World War II, they would have been destroyed.

“The Slavic Epic is one of the cultural symbols of this country. Quarreling and disputing over them is a shame and nonsense. That is why we have started to work with all sides and I hope we will come to a rational solution soon,” City Councilor Hana Třeštíková (Praha Sobě) said.

The entire epic was last shown in Prague from 2012 to the end of 2016 at the National Gallery’s modern art venue at Veletržní palác.

The Slav Epic (Slovanská epopej) is a series of twenty monumental canvases (the largest measuring over 6 by 8 meters) depicting the history of the Slav people and civilization. Mucha conceived it as a monument for all the Slavonic peoples and he devoted the latter half of his artistic career to the realization of this work.

The first canvas in the series, The Slavs in Their Original Homeland, was finished in 1912 and the entire series was completed in 1926 with the final canvas, The Apotheosis of the Slavs, which celebrates the triumphant victory of all the Slavs whose homelands in 1918 finally became their very own.

In 1928, Mucha and Crane officially presented the complete series of the Slav Epic to the City of Prague as a gift to the nation, coinciding with the 10^th Anniversary of its independence.

Prague City Council has decided to cancel its sister-city relationship with Beijing over the latter’s unwillingness to re-negotiate wording relating to Beijing’s ”One China Policy” in the partnership agreement.

Beijing and Prague established sister-city relations only recently in 2016 under the previous mayor Adriana Krnáčová, after Xi Jinping made a visit to the city.

Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib has shown strong support for Taiwan and began calling for Beijing to remove the “One China” language from the agreement back in January. Hrib made a visit to Taiwan in March, and has come under fire from Beijing for his “pro-Taiwan stance.”

In Taiwan, Prague also has a sister-city relationship with Taipei. Hrib says that China has all but closed down communications on the issue, which has led the city to its current decision.

“The other side repeatedly declined our proposals to remove clause number three, ignoring our last message completely, and so no understanding has been reached about a possible revision of the text.”

In response to the news, China has already begun canceling various cultural events and tours planned between the cities, with the Prague Philharmonic’s planned tour of China an example. In addition to Beijing, Prague also maintains sister-city relations with Guangzhou and Shanghai.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček say that while the government respects the “One China” policy it cannot dictate anything to the democratically elected Prague leadership.

By Richard Sovitzky – Anglo American University

As the dull gloom of autumn sets in, the exhibit “French Impressionism, Masterpieces of the Odrupgaard Collection” offers a last chance to gaze back into summer with over sixty vibrant, light-filled paintings from various French artists, including Monet, Renoir, and Gauguin.

Originating in late 19^th century France in opposition to the strict stylistic school of Realism, Impressionism sets out to capture the feeling of a single moment in all its vivid complexity, exploring the unique qualities light casts on a particular scene amidst all its vigorous bustle and motion seen from a particular angle or perspective, through visible brushstrokes and decisive colors, rather than focusing on realism, a common feature of the dominant art of the time.

In the collection, Camille Pissaro’s Garden corner in Eragny (1897) perhaps best exemplifies this tendency: a warm afternoon sunbathes a garden in hazy light, falling on young boys at play and on a tree whose shadow shades a woman sketching and provides contrast to a roughly painted pathway of shimmering, brown, slowly baking, iridescent dust and indistinct vegetation of lighter or darker greens, depending on their nearness to the shadow of the tree.

The most well-known Impressionists like Monet, Renoir, Degas and Post-Impressionists Gauguin, and Cezanne provide the foundation for the collection but they are complemented by many other outstanding painters from the era including Pissaro, Morisot, Sisley, and Corot combining to form a delightful, varied medley of French art not often seen in traveling exhibits.

While the selection of works from the collection in this exhibit does not showcase any iconic Impressionist works, it does present a charming selection of themes consisting of holiday seascapes, reflecting the light playing on the water at noonday or the pounding rage of the surf captured in thick, white-flecked brushstrokes; of lush French landscapes full of bright light and color and peaceful tranquility; and numerous even surprising depictions of La Femme.

Camille Corot, Souvenir of a Pond in the Limousin Region, c. 1855–1860 © Ordupgaard, Copenhagen / Photo Anders Sune Berg

The collection does not contain the usual erotic objectification of women so often portrayed in nineteenth-century art but has instead paintings of La Femme by women, like Berthe Morisot’s Young Girl on the Grass (1885), where a girl, painted in wide, curving brushstrokes, sits in youthful innocence, as bright in her red jacket and health as any of the vibrant flowers beside her.

Morisot (1841-1895) focused on female subjects in her paintings, portrayed in dignity, not a vice. As a woman, Morisot struggled to be accepted in the Parisian art world, and despite her accomplishment and success as a painter her themes were not taken seriously and often dismissed for being too womanly and insubstantial.

Another highlight of the exhibit is a room of works by Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), whose distinctive use of color sets him apart from all others. His works inspired from his stay in Tahiti, although sensuous in tone and exotic in color, are also deviant as they portray native women in innocence – their nakedness ambivalent and any lustful gaze grotesque. Gauguin’s Tahitians are on the precipice of disaster, their dream-like life endangered by the encroaching white man. His Adam and Eve (1902) captures this as Adam is painted as a European, turning away from the fruit Eve offers, as if to say that the only way to preserve this paradise is to refuse it and flee.

The exhibit is on loan from the Ordrupgaard Museum of Denmark and has been making its way throughout Europe. It was originally the private collection of Wilhelm Hansen, a prosperous Danish insurance broker, who turned to art, amassing most of the collection on display around the First World War, successfully betting that their value would soar in the aftermath of the war.

Hansen would later open his collection to weekly public viewings, and after his death, he donated it to the Danish government, so that the public might also enjoy the works he collected. Selected works from the collection can be seen until October 13 at the National Gallery in Kinsky Palace.

More information is available from the National Gallery here

The 15th-century Powder Tower in Prague centre will undergo a thorough reconstruction of its coating to remove its later black finish.

The general restoration of the coating is to return the tower its original appearance, such as the brown colour of the facade, from the period of the Neo-Gothic adjustments by architect Josef Mocker in the 1880s.

The current black colour dates back to the 1960s or 1970s when it was to cover different colours of the stones from various periods, the document to be discussed by the Prague Assembly’s culture committee says.

The facade of the tower is in a disastrous state due to climate influence as well as the poor-quality repair works in the 1960s and 1970s, the document writes.

The research is mainly to divide the original Gothic stones from their later replacements in the 1880s. A laser scanning of the facade is to be carried out in the first half of this year.

The Museum of the City of Prague, which operated the sight, plans to repair the floor on first storey of the tower where a display on the Prague fortifications development is to be installed.

History

“Powder Gate” (“Prašná brána” in Czech), is among the most amazing and treasured sights of Prague and is considered to be one of its symbols. It marks the beginning of Celetná street, part of the “Royal Way”.

This route, leading through Prague’s historical centre and connecting the former Royal Court with Prague Castle, was a significant part of Czech kings’ coronations. Ceremonial processions took the Royal Route on their way to castle.

The history of this tower started in 1475 when King Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary personally laid its cornerstone within the main fortification of the Old Town. The act was immortalized with writings on the tower’s moulding. The following words can still be found on the western side of the tower: “Behold the great building, founded with the hands of the high king Vladislaus, born of noble blood of dukes and emperors.”

The Powder Tower is basically a gate that separates Prague’s New Town from the Old Town. Back in the 11th century, it was one of the 13 gates through which Prague’s citizens could enter the Old Town.

The gate was used to store gunpowder in the 17th century and hence its name.

Czech police have been put on high alert for the arrival of an estimated 6,000 English supporters for Friday’s Euro 2020 qualifier between England and the Czech Republic.

The fixture has been designated as high risk, with the Czech police ready to deploy an unprecedented number of officers, including English-speaking “anti-conflict units” and, if necessary, anti-riot units.

Prague’s surveillance camera system will be used to monitor fans’ behaviour away from the stadium, a city council spokesperson said.

When England played the Netherlands in a friendly on a Friday night in Amsterdam during March 2018, there were more than 100 arrests and condemnation for the appalling behaviour of the travelling fans.

“I wrote to Uefa asking them to reconsider the Friday night kick-off,” Roberts said. “That’s not something we’ve been able to do. It is harder when you’re dealing with them [Uefa] and, particularly, when you’re playing away. I think it’s unfortunate because you can foresee the risk. We’d much rather prevent a situation developing than try to manage it on the night and regret it afterwards,” said the English national police lead officer for football, Mark Roberts.

Having made a 100% winning start to the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, England could even secure their place at the tournament this month if they win both games.

The Three Lions will face the Czech Republic, a side they beat 5-0 in March, in Prague on Friday 11 October, with the Bulgaria fixture to follow in Sofia on Monday 14 October – England prevailed 4-0 winners in the reverse game against Bulgaria last month.

The Czechs are second in the table with nine points and three games to play. England, which has a game in hand, tops the group with 12 points.

Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Montenegro are also in the group.

Following Karel’s Gott death on October 1st, Prague’s Petřín Tower will probably lit up in gold during the Signal Festival 2019.

The seventh edition of the festival will offer 18 light installations, six gallery zones and will take place from October 10 to 13.

The Czech public can say farewell Karel Gott in Prague’s Žofín Palace on Friday, October 11, and a commemorative mass will be celebrated for invited guests in St Vitus Cathedral one day later.

“We offered the family to light up the Petřín Tower in gold in memory of Karel Gott, and we are currently waiting for an answer,” said the Prague Mayor Hřib.

Mr. Hřib said that a street or other public area in the city could be named after the Czech singer. “It should be something in connection to music”, he added. The authorities in Prague 5, where Karel Gott lived, have also discussed honouring him in this manner.

The special lighting was not a first-time event. On public holidays and other important dates, the tower has also been lit up in red, white, and blue after the Czech Republic flag.

During the past two years, the tower has been lit in green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

However, not everyone agrees with the lighting. The Prague Conservation Reserve issued a statement asserting that the illumination should only be granted for national holidays and “extraordinarily” important days.

Today marks 83 years since the birth of Václav Havel.

The last Czechoslovak and first Czech President was born in October 1936 into a prominent Prague entrepreneurial and intellectual family. His father, Václav Maria Havel, a successful structural engineer, was the second-generation head of the family building development tradition. His mother, Božena, came from the Vavrečka family, with art-literary and technical talents. She no doubt represented a great role model for her sons, in whom she cultivated a freedom-loving spirit, but also set the bar of aspiration high for them.

As the son of bourgeois parents, Havel was denied easy access to education but managed to finish high school and study at the university level. He found work as a stagehand in a Prague theatrical company in 1959 and soon began writing plays with Ivan Vyskočil.

He was a prominent participant in the liberal reforms of 1968 (known as the Prague Spring), and, after the Soviet clampdown on Czechoslovakia that year, his plays were banned and his passport was confiscated. During the 1970s and ’80s he was repeatedly arrested and served four years in prison (1979–83) for his activities on behalf of human rights in Czechoslovakia. After his release from prison, Havel remained in his homeland.

The key event was the writing of Charter 77. This was essentially a grass-roots initiative on the one hand, criticizing how the ruling party was wielding power, and on the other hand and appeal to uphold the commitments of the International Conference in Helsinki, which prominently featured human rights and became a thorn in the side of the Communist regime. Václav Havel as co-author also played an important role as the press spokesman for this initiative to the outside world. He did not have long to wait for repercussions from the powers-that-be. In 1979, Václav Havel was convicted of subversion and sentenced to four and a half years in prison, unconditionally, having already received a prior conditional sentence of 14 months. After his release, he was under the constant supervision of the secret police, the StB.

Havel’s first solo play, Zahradní slavnost (1963; The Garden Party), typified his work in its absurdist, satirical examination of bureaucratic routines and their dehumanizing effects. Havel continued to write plays steadily until the late 1980s; these works include Ztížená možnost soustředění (1968; The Increased Difficulty of Concentration); Spiklenci (1971; The Conspirators); the three one-act plays Audience (1975), Vernisáž (1975; Private View), and Protest (1978); Largo Desolato (1985); and Zítra to Spustíme (1988; Tomorrow).

When massive antigovernment demonstrations erupted in Prague in November 1989, Havel became the leading figure in the Civic Forum, a new coalition of noncommunist opposition groups pressing for democratic reforms.

In early December the Communist Party capitulated and formed a coalition government with the Civic Forum. As a result of an agreement between the partners in this bloodless “Velvet Revolution,” Havel was elected to the post of interim president of Czechoslovakia on December 29, 1989, and he was re-elected to the presidency on July 1990, becoming the country’s first noncommunist leader since 1948.

As the Czechoslovak union faced dissolution in 1992, Havel, who opposed the division, resigned from office. The following year he was elected president of the new Czech Republic. His political role, however, was limited, as Prime Minister Václav Klaus (1993–97) commanded much of the power. In 1998 Havel was reelected by a narrow margin, and, under his presidency, the Czech Republic joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1999. Barred constitutionally from seeking a third term, he stepped down as president in 2003.

History

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