Posts

Prague Pride is a week-long festival that is soon to begin on July 28th. In addition to the pride parade through the city on Saturday 2nd, the festival offers a rich programme of cultural and social events, from film screenings to picnics in...

For Lenka Králová, a transgender woman, podcaster, and activist, Prague Pride is the most important event of the year. She says the annual parade and week‑long festival show that “there is nothing to be afraid of” when it comes to LGBT+...

At the presidential summer residence in Lány, an envelope thought to contain the last words of first Czechoslovak President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk will be opened on September 19th. Current President Petr Pavel will attend the ceremony...

The 110th World Esperanto Congress is taking place from July 26th to August 2nd in the Moravian capital of Brno. This celebration of the international auxiliary language offers a diverse programme of activities for over a thousand attendees. To...

The Theresian Institution of Noble Ladies takes up approximately one-fifth of Prague Castle’s panorama. Its roof and façade are now set to undergo reconstruction, as part of a 180 million crown plan – the largest investment at the Prague Castle...

The flickering lights of fireflies used to be a familiar part of summer nights in the countryside. Yet these elusive insects are disappearing, along with many others. To raise awareness about fireflies and the challenges they face, the Czech...

The zoo in the Moravian city of Olomouc is located just outside the city on Svatý Kopeček (Holy Hill). One of its priorities is the preservation of endangered species like the Rothschild giraffes. But visitors can also take a safari train ride...

President Petr Pavel on July 27th paid a personal visit to the Dalai Lama, who is celebrating his 90th birthday. The Chinese embassy has expressed its disapproval of the meeting. On Sunday 27th, on his journey home after a busy presidential...

The oldest known group photograph in Czechia, and possibly the world, is housed at Velké Březno Chateau near Ústí nad Labem. Taken in 1839, the daguerreotype features the aristocratic family of Count Karel Chotek along with relatives and...

Central Europe, including Czechia, is experiencing unusually cold and rainy weather this summer, thanks to a high pressure area that has settled over northern Scandinavia. July temperatures in the country are even lower than currently reported...

In the summer of 1950, the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia launched Operation Ř, a targeted campaign aimed at the liquidation of female religious orders. Nuns were forcibly evicted from convents, separated by age, and transported to...

One of Czechia’s most respected alternative bands, Už jsme doma, are celebrating their 40th anniversary this July. The avant-garde punk group, which rose to prominence after the Velvet Revolution in 1989, marks the event with a special concert...

Moving away from traditional forms of propaganda aimed at eulogizing its political regime, China is now hiring influencers to bolster its image abroad. The Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS), which conducted the investigation...

Conservationists have spotted golden jackals in the protected landscape of Pálava in southern Moravia, capturing them on a camera trap. These wild canids have already been recorded in other parts of Czechia, and experts say their numbers are...

Writer-director Dužan Duong made a big splash at this month’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival with his debut Summer School, 2001. Dubbed the “first Czech-Viet” movie, it recreates aspects of the 34-year-old’s own childhood, much of...

The ashes of Czech author Milan Kundera and his wife Věra will be buried in the “Circle of Honour” at Brno’s Central Cemetery. On Wednesday, the city council revealed the levitating tombstone design, which should be ready by the end of July...

Two hours away from the hustle and bustle of Prague, there lies a quaint village called Horažďovice, and just a short drive away, there lies an even quainter farm, where its inhabitants grow much more than crops. On the spot of land that once...

On the occasion of the National Day of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Anniversary of the Revolution of July 1952), H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Mostafa AFIFI, the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, hosted a reception at the beautiful residence garden...

On the occasion of the 215th anniversary of the Independence of Colombia, and in gratitude for your support in the process of opening the Embassy of Colombia in the Czech Republic, H.E. Mrs. Solangel Ortiz Mejía, hosted an event at the Hotel NH...

On the Occasion of the 98th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. FENG Biao, and the Defense Attaché of the People’s Republic of...

Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22nd, at the age of 76. The frontman of Black Sabbath leaves behind a lasting impact on music and culture, no less so in Czechia. Local stars drew inspiration from the band’s legendary hits, as...

Each summer, the UNESCO-listed village of Holašovice in South Bohemia transforms into a lively celebration of Czech heritage. Thousands of visitors come for the Peasant Festival, where handmade crafts, folk music, and traditional costumes take...

Beer is famously one of Czechia’s top exports with a great deal of historical, cultural, and economic significance. Along with the beverage itself, the distribution of ingredients and diffusion of know-how has allowed brewers from all corners...

In this episode of Prague Off the Beaten Track, we visit Kajetánka—a hidden gem in Prague 6 that once housed a monastery and vineyard. Today it’s a peaceful park with historic surroundings and hardly any tourists. If you’re looking for a...

The Hrádek u Nechanic Castle, a national cultural monument, is often referred to as a piece of England in eastern Bohemia. This charming building was constructed between 1839 and 1857 by František Arnošt, Count of Harrach, a member of the...

For the 14th year in a row, the glass trophies for the winners of the Tour de France were made by Czech company Lasvit. Though the shape remains unchanged since 2011, each edition brings fresh innovations—this year with a new emerald green...

The increasing cost of living is changing the appetites of Czech home buyers. In their search for flats, a growing number are now considering the purchase of micro-apartments – sized between 16 and 30 square meters. In the last quartile, demand...

The zoo in Zlín, eastern Moravia, is one of the most visited in Czechia. Highlights include its ray petting pool and jaguar feeding. A rescue centre for illegally captive lions is also soon to open on the vast site. RPI’s Ferdinand Hauser...

The 36th annual Czech Open Chess and Games Festival is well underway and will run until August 3. Around four thousand players from almost all over the world will compete there. In addition to chess, registered competitors will also take part...

An exhibition titled The Call of the Forest, currently on display at Prague’s Kunsthalle, invites visitors to leave behind the noise of the city and step into the quiet, contemplative world of the forest. Created by the Czech-born, New York...

The new SPYDER air defense system, ordered from Israel four years ago for nearly 14 billion crowns, promises longer range, missiles targeting multiple objectives, and a technological leap for the Czech army. It is expected to be ready for the...

A two-day event on July 19th and 20th called Pod praporem Bergowa (‘Under the banner of Bergow’) attracted hundreds of fans of the popular computer game to Trosky Castle. Visitors could visit a period camp, take pictures with replica weapons...

Josef “Pepa” Vomáčka is a Prague-based bon vivant and “man about town” – a renowned and much-beloved figure across the Czech capital’s cultural scene. Pepa turned 80 this month and Dominik Jůn spoke to several of his friends and associates to...

The atmosphere across Czechoslovakia immediately after World War II was full of tension, pain and a desire for revenge. Yet the public attitudes of the political leaders of the time also fundamentally influenced the direction of the country –...

In today’s edition of our Sunday Music Show, we highlight the compositions of František Ignác Tůma, a Czech composer from the late Baroque period known for creating some of the era’s most imaginative works. František Ignác Tůma spent most of...

Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský symbolically received a collection of art pieces from Jan Masaryk’s former London residence, on Thursday afternoon. The roughly 30 works of art were bought out at auction by one of Masaryk’s former secretaries...

Three years after a devastating fire stopped the popular boat trips down the river Kamenice, boating through Edmund’s Gorge is set to recommence on July 19th. The initial trips will be limited to a maximum of fifty people daily. Bohemian...

US academic Chad Bryant explores the recent history of Prague through the prism of diverse personalities in a book just launched in Czech. Prague: Belonging in the Modern City blends the stories of socialists, dissidents, Jews, Germans and...

On the occasion of French National Day, celebrated on July 14 as a commemoration of the 1789 Bastille Day, H.E. Mr. Stéphane Crouzat, Ambassador of France to the Czech Republic, and Ms. Jennifer Zeitlin-Crouzat hosted a special reception at the...

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Indonesia and the Czech Republic, H.E. Mrs. Rina P. Soemarno, the Ambassador of Indonesia to the Czech Republic, organized a Celebratory Concert of the...

Ms. Indhira Banares, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Philippines in the Czech Republic, is leaving us after 6 successful years for her next position. We wish Indhira a lot of success in her new position. We will miss her and...

President Petr Pavel will meet with Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Japan next week, the Office of the President of the Republic informed journalists on Wednesday. See more here. Author: Danny Bate

From traditional Thai massage studios to cultural festivals, Thai nationals are quietly establishing a foothold in the Czech Republic. Though still a small community, their presence is growing – and with it, a vibrant effort to keep Thai...

The Krkonoše National Park in the northeast of Czechia is facing a serious challenge: an invasive plant known as lupine is taking over its meadows. To combat the spread, park authorities recently called on visitors for help, encouraging them to...

At the Technical University of Liberec, a T-shirt has been developed with the ability to identify micro-sleep thanks to sensors in the fabric that detect slow breathing. With a connected alarm system in place, the innovation aims to combat the...

Colours of Ostrava, the biggest international music festival in Czechia, is this year bringing Iggy Pop, Sting, Snow Patrol, The Chainsmokers and many more acts to the Silesian city. Before the 2025 edition’s start on July 16th, Danny Bate...

Lemurs that survive only near a remote lake in Madagascar, snakes that hunt with spider-shaped tails, fish from Mexico extinct in the wild, and solitary Indian rhinos. These are just some of the rare and endangered species visitors can see at...

Ice hockey’s pre-eminent trophy is travelling through the hometowns of last seasons’ winning squad, the Florida Panthers. Its stops will also include Pardubice, the birthplace of Tomáš Nosek, and Havlíčkův Brod, where Vítek Vaněček hails from...

The Czech Senate has approved a major reform of the country’s criminal code, including a significant shift in drug policy. Key changes include looser rules on cannabis possession and home cultivation, as well as the medical legalization of so...

Giant mirrors made of polished sheet metal will decorate the entrance to the Žižkov Tunnel on Tachov Square from September. A popular piece of Prague architecture is the tunnel for pedestrians and cyclists that runs under Vítkov Hill...

A hundred years after her discovery, hundreds of people in Pasohlávky near Brno watched the inflation of the eight-metre model of the Venus of Dolní Věstonice. The small statue is one of the most famous and most significant finds ever unearthed...

The main prize at this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival was won by Better Go Mad in the Wild by Slovak director Miro Remo. During Saturday’s closing ceremony other top prizes went to filmmakers from states ranging from Iran to...

The annual festival of street art called Za dveřmi, or Behind the Door, is currently underway in Prague, filling the city with acrobats, musicians, actors, and jugglers. The main festival venue is once again located in Holešovická tržnice, with...

Foreigners make up approximately 25% of Prague’s population, and that number is expected to increase. But is the city building fast enough to meet demand? I spoke with Zdeňka Havlová, a researcher at the Prague Institute of Planning and...

Dozens of medical students from around the world gathered in Pilsen this summer to take part in an intensive course in experimental surgery. The program gives them valuable hands-on-training in a wide range of surgical techniques performed on...

A group of researchers at the Czech Academy of Sciences developed a method of recycling rare earth minerals used in batteries for electronic vehicles. China has long been considered to hold a monopoly over mining and refining these elements...

A brand new psychological horror game titled “Brno Transit” is in the works at the studio of Czech game developer Spytihněv. Scheduled to come out at the end of 2025, the computer game simulates the experience of an apprentice metro driver in a...

They’re in the middle of Prague’s historic core, yet many visitors never set foot on them. This episode of Prague off the Beaten Track takes you to two islands, nestled in the Vltava River, that are easily overlooked green spaces that offer...

The annual Festival of Planets in Brno has unveiled a brand-new inflated planetary model: the Lithosphere – a vision of Earth stripped of its water. It reveals the ocean floors and shows the tectonic plates on which the continents rest. The...

The historic building of Prague’s main train station is one of Czechia’s foremost Art Nouveau landmarks. Reconstruction has been ongoing here since 2021, and is now nearing completion with its southern wing also set for a revamp. This includes...

The Safari Park in Dvůr Králové nad Labem is home to a wide variety of African animals, including lions, giraffes, hyenas, and many species of antelope. But the park is more than just a place to see animals. It also plays an important role in...

In this episode of Prague Off the Beaten Track, we take you to Dívčí hrady, where legends meet nature on a peaceful hillside above Prague. Walk through meadows, discover old Czech stories, and catch a glimpse of wild Przewalski’s horses. This...

Thursday marks the fourth day Czech firefighters have been assisting in the search for missing persons in flood-devastated central Texas, near the town of Kerrville. So far, they have recovered three bodies. Firefighters from the Czech Urban...

On the occasion of the commemoration of the 31st Anniversary of Rwanda’s Liberation Day (Kwibohora31, H.E. Dr. Richard Masozera, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda, hosted a reception at OREA Hotel Pyramida. This Kwibohora marks not only a...

On the occasion of the Opening Ceremony of the Embassy of Colombia in the Czech Republic, the Ambassador of Colombia, H.E.  Mrs. Solangel Ortiz Mejía hosted an event at the new Embassy in Prague 2. The honored speakers were: Ms. Laura Camila...

On July 7, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, at Prague Castle. Link to the recording of the press conference after the meeting of the two presidents :   photo: Tomas Fongus

Czech archaeologists have announced a major discovery. During a rescue excavation along the future route of the D35 motorway near Hradec Králové, they unearthed a Celtic settlement, unprecedented in Czechia for both its size and the number of...

A sample of water from the source of the Vltava River has set off on a two-month journey. Participants in the so-called ‘Vltava Relay’ will carry and transport it in a special capsule to draw attention to the many significant places connected...

Ondřej Provazník is the writer-director of Broken Voices, a new Czech drama that is in the main competition at the ongoing Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The powerful picture follows a 13-year-old girl as she comes under the sway of...

A unique collection of children’s drawings from the Terezín Ghetto, housed at the Jewish Museum in Prague since the end of the war, has been added to the prestigious UNESCO Memory of the World Register. Created between 1942 and 1944 by children...

Hollywood star Michael Douglas was one of the most highly anticipated VIP guests at this year’s Karlovy Vary Film Festival, where he introduced a restored version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Miloš Forman, 50 years after its release...

Jan Hus, Czech theologian and early church reformer, was burned at the stake on July 6, 1415, at the Council of Konstanz. Today, a modest but very nice museum in the German city preserves his memory—despite lingering doubts about whether he...

One of the highest grossing artists of all time, Lionel Richie brought several decades of global hits to the O2 Arena in Prague, as part of his ‘Say Hello to the Hits’ tour. The 76-year-old soul, pop, and R&B legend returned to Czechia on...

Beer is notoriously interwoven into Czech social fabric, and thanks to the work of designer Jan Černý it is now also interwoven into the fabric of Aňa Geislerová’s dress. The Czech actress, covered in shards of “Pilsner green”, was one of the...

As of July, transgender people in the Czech Republic are no longer required to undergo surgery and hormonal treatment to have their gender legally recognized. The change, prompted by a landmark Constitutional Court ruling, brings Czechia in...

The red carpet was busy on the opening weekend at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Names such as Michael Douglas, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard and Vicky Krieps delivered star power to the region’s biggest celebration of cinema...

On July 6, Czechs mark the 609th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus, a 15th-century priest, religious thinker, and early church reformer who was burned at the stake in the German city of Constance in 1415 after being condemned as a heretic by...

For this week’s Sunday Music Show, we’re bringing you some traditional music from Czechia – but with a twist! Our selection of music comes from the album Moravian Gems, in which folk melodies meet jazz in a fun and innovative fusion of...

The Prague Planetarium, an astronomically popular Czech attraction, now boasts a state-of-the-art LED dome, the first in Europe. Newly reopened after the biggest modernisation in its history, the planetarium is again transporting audiences to...

“Czech humour is legendarily dry, operating through deadpan delivery and subtle verbal jabs that can sometimes catch you off guard,” lauds the ranking, published by Remitly. In a questionnaire of over 6,000 participants, Czechs came out on top...

Live action role-play, or LARP, has carved out a vivid niche in Czechia, where castles, forests, and centuries-old villages provide the perfect backdrop for immersive storytelling. The Czech LARP community is known for its craftsmanship, world...

H.E. Mrs. Ayesha Ali, Ambassador of Pakistan, hosted a farewell reception at the beautiful residence Garden.

On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at Prague Castle, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary.

Czechs are paying tribute to Milada Horáková, politician and freedom fighter who was sent to the gallows by the communist regime on June 27, 1950.

Jakub Hrůša was announced as the new chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic.

On July 3rd and 4th, Olomouc will welcome the world’s best female para-athletes in the season’s last meeting of the Para Athletics Grand Prix – the para-sport equivalent of the Diamond League.

Record-breaking temperatures are being reported across the country, and Czechs are seeking refuge indoors from the sun.

Wimbledon is back, and with it comes the latest chapter in the story of Czech tennis excellence.

A young male European moose has recently made headlines in Czechia after being spotted in several locations in the eastern part of the country.

Adam Plachetka is one of Czechia’s leading opera singers. This year marks ten years since his debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Since then, he’s become a regular there and has also performed on other major stages around the world.

Kunratický les, known to locals as Kunraťák, is one of Prague’s largest and most beloved green spaces.

Derek Cummins is the co-founder of PetExpert, a pet insurance company that has helped foster major growth in that field in this country in recent years.

Throughout July, the Moravian capital of Brno is hosting the Authors’ Reading Month literary festival.

On a bend of the river Vltava, in the district of Troja, lies one of the biggest attractions of the Czech capital: Prague Zoo.

American artist Noah Breuer, whose Jewish ancestors once owned a textile factory in Dvůr Králové, has returned to Czechia with a new exhibition.

The Prague Planetarium has reopened to visitors after a two-year costly renovation. It now boasts a state-of-the-art, fully digital LED dome, the largest of its kind in the world.

With the arrival of summer, Czechia’s music scene bursts into life with a wide array of festivals catering to every taste - from metal and jazz to punk, pop, and global headliners.

What do the Czech Embassy buildings in Delhi, Athens, Berlin, Beijing, Brasília, Cairo, Tokyo, London, and Washington have in common? They were all designed in the 1960s and 70s in bold, expressive styles of Brutalism and Modernism.

Legendary Australian band AC/DC rocked the stage in Prague’s Letňany on their fifth appearance in the Czech capital. Their previous visit was without 77-year-old frontman Brian Johnson, who remarkably returned in front of 60,000 excited fans...

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Duong Hoai Nam, the Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Czech Republic, hosted a Vietnamese traditional cultural...