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Pavel to meet with Emperor Naruhito 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

Finding home abroad: Thai nationals in the...

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...

Krkonoše meadows threatened by invasive...

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...

Game-changer for driver safety: smart T...

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...

From Iggy Pop to talks on AI: Colours of...

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 from Madagascar, strange snakes, and...

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...

Stanley Cup returning to Czechia thanks to...

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...

Czechia moves toward regulated drug use with...

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...

Installation of playful mirrors to make...

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...

‘Rebirth of Venus’ event near Brno...

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...

Documentary on Czech brothers wins 59th...

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...

Street art festival brings acrobats and...

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...

25% of residents in Prague are foreigners...

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...

Pilsen offers unique hands-on training...

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...

Czech scientists discover way to recycle EV...

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...

New horror video game brings subway to Brno...

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...

Urban Oases on the Vltava: Discovering...

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...

Festival of Planets in Brno presents new...

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...

Franz Joseph’s salons among final touches in...

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...

Dvůr Králové Safari Park: A slice of Africa...

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...

Girls’ Castles: Legends, Meadows, and...

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...

Texas flood disaster: Czech rescue team...

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...

31st Anniversary of Rwanda’s Liberation Day

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...

Colombia opened its first Embassy in the...

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...

Official visit of the President of Poland...

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

Unique Celtic settlement discovered near...

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...

Water from Vltava source sets off in special...

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 on taking inspiration from...

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...

Children’s drawings from Terezín ghetto...

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...

Michael Douglas revisits Karlovy Vary Film...

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...

Where truth and legend meet: Jan Hus in...

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...

Hello Prague! Lionel Richie treats Czech...

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...

Covered in beer bottles: Aňa Geislerová...

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...

Czechia ends surgical requirement for legal...

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...

Michael Douglas, Dakota Johnson, more bring...

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...

Czechs celebrate legacy of reformer priest...

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...

‘Moravian Gems’: Musical quartet combine...

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...

From Stromovka to outer space: Newly...

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...

Czechs funniest nation in the world...

“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...

LARP is life: Inside the Czech subculture of...

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...

Adam Plachetka on 10 years at the Met and...

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.

Architecture for Export: Brutalism...

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.

AC/DC rock out in Prague: President Pavel in...

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...

75th anniversary of diplomatic relations...

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...

Amazing Thailand

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand in the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Suwat KAEWSOOK, and Ms. Srisurath SUKAVARODOM, Counsellor /Political and Protocol Affairs, organized a cultural event at the top of the Vienna House by Wyndham Diplomat...

Prague Shakespeare Tackles AI This Weekend...

Prague Shakespeare Tackles AI, Fake News & Modern Love in a Theatrical Event for the Ages at the Estates Theatre – This Weekend Only! Forget everything you think you know about Shakespeare. This is not boring museum piece theatre...

The feast day of St. John Baptist patron...

On the occasion of the feast day of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Order of Malta, the Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta to the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Wenceslas...

Gratias agit 2025 will honour 9 inividuals...

Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský will award the 2025 Gratias agit prizes in the Grand Hall of the Czernin Palace in Prague. The award, established in 1997, recognizes people and institutions from around the world who have promoted Czechia through...

Marcus Mucha: It’s not nice when you see...

Marcus Mucha is the great-grandson of the world-famous Czech painter, illustrator and graphic artist Alphonse Mucha. UK-born Marcus, who is in his mid 40s, is Executive Director of the Mucha Foundation, which preserves and promotes the work of...

Unique collection of Franz Kafka’s...

For decades, the French surgeon Thierry Bouchet collected Franz Kafka’s books. Some pieces from his collection are now being sold in Paris at Le Carreau du Temple for over two million Czech crowns. Stored at the beautiful 19th-century Le...

Football icon Pavel Nedvěd takes charge of...

Juventus and Czechia legend Pavel Nedvěd has taken the wheel at the senior and U21 national teams in the role of general manager. The 2003 Ballon d’Or winner has accepted the Czech Football Federation’s offer, after leaving his most recent role...

Young musicians tour Czech churches...

The historic wind instrument known as the cornett, or zink, once again echoes through Czech churches. Students from across Europe, including young Czechs, are learning to play it under the guidance of expert musicians. It looks like a curved...

Sprint prodigy Gout Gout takes on first...

17-year-old Australian sprinter Gout Gout has chosen Czechia for his first senior athletics meeting abroad. In December last year he bettered Usain Bolt’s 2003 record to become the fastest 16-year-old ever on the 200m distance – the same...

Rare Roman soldier’s wrist purse discovered...

Archaeologists in South Moravia have uncovered a rare Roman artefact: a bronze fragment of a soldier’s wrist purse. Over 1,800 years old, it is most likely the oldest purse found on the territory of today’s Czechia. The rare discovery was made...

Prague celebrates 100 years of bus service

This Sunday, there were more locals than tourists below Prague’s Astronomical Clock. They came to admire a parade of historical and modern buses that were part of the city’s public transport system for 100 years. A ceremonial parade of vintage...

Where sculpture meets freedom: Australian...

At a ceremony in Prague’s Czernin Palace, Australian curator David Handley was among the recipients of the 2025 Gratias Agit award. He was honored by the Czech FM Jan Lipavský for his long-standing efforts to showcase Czech artists at Sculpture...

Stellan Skarsgård, Vicky Krieps and Dakota...

Organizers of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival have unveiled a star-studded line up for its 59th edition. The stellar list includes Stellan Skarsgård, Peter Sarsgaard, Vicky Krieps and Dakota Johnson. Stellan Skarsgård, a revered...

Czechs’ reliance on social media as news...

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) recently published the results of a survey indicating what news sources people rely on around the world. While social media has become the primary source of news for the largest share of...

“Creativity as a meaning of life”: Prague’s...

The first-ever exhibition of David Lynch’s visual art in Czechia opened this week at Prague’s DOX Centre for Contemporary Art. Called Up In Flames, it presents a selection of more than 400 works curated in collaboration with Lynch himself...

‘The Message of the Minorites’: Prague...

A couple of streets away from Prague’s Old Town Square, the Minorite Monastery of St. James has at last opened to the public. It now offers the largest outdoor escape game in Czechia, inspired by the 800-year history of the site, and playable...

Alanis Morissette and Rag’n’bone Man in...

The 8th edition of the Prague Metronome festival kicked off on Thursday. Headlining the show are Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, making her long-awaited return to Prague, and English vocalist Rag’n’bone Man. Both artists perform on Saturday...

“Good Morning Czechia” campaign invites...

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an initiative titled “Good Morning Czechia”, aiming to strengthen the country’s image abroad. In a public questionnaire, respondents are encouraged to share their opinions and stories of what...

The 249th Anniversary of the Independence of...

On the occasion of the 249th Anniversary of the independence of the United States of America, the Charge d’Affaires Ms. Christina J. Agor organized a garden reception at the Ambassador Residence. The Honorable speaker was RNDr. Miloš Vystrčil...

127th Anniversary of the Declaration of...

On the occasion of the 127th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence, H.E. Mr. Eduardo R. Menez, the Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines in the Czech Republic, and Mrs. Marissa V. Menez hosted a reception at the...

Farewell reception of the Ambassador of...

The Ambassador of Sweden, H.E. Mr. Fredrik Jorgensen and Mrs. Marianne Jorgensen hosted a farewell reception at the beautiful Embassy Garden, with the best view of Prague. Here are selected sections of H.E. Mr. Fredrik Jorgensen and H.E. Most...

Prague’s riverside embankment to host...

Prague’s riverside embankments are a summertime hotspot for both locals and visitors, with scenic castle views, hosting numerous gastronomic events and farmers markets. On Friday and Saturday, the embankment on Rašínovo nábřeží will host “Pivo...

Springsteen draws crowd of over 60,000...

Thousands of fans braved the rain to attend Bruce Springsteen’s long-awaited live concert in Prague on Sunday. In a characteristically energetic performance, the 75-year old rock singer also left the audience with a political message. On a...

Discoveries from Prague Ring Road rescue...

The Czech Academy of Sciences has unveiled a series of unique archaeological finds discovered during a rescue dig along the future Prague Ring Road. The research, one of the biggest of its kind in Czechia’s history, offers a rare glimpse into...

Tram closures in center of Prague complicate...

Workers in Prague have started building tracks that will connect Vinohradská třída, near the National Museum building, with Wenceslas Square. Trams will return to the area after almost half a century. The construction work is already limiting...

Czechia to shift foreign worker quotas in...

Starting this July, the Czech government will adjust its quotas for foreign workers, putting greater emphasis on attracting skilled professionals from outside the European Union, and tightening access for low-skilled laborers. Under the new...

Vintage Praga cars go on display at National...

Eight vintage Praga cars have gone on display at the National Technical Museum in Prague as part of a new temporary exhibition. The vehicles come from the private collection of Emil Příhoda, who spent over sixty years preserving the legacy of...

Czech researchers develop safe method to...

Pursuits involving fleeing vehicles pose a persistent challenge for law enforcement officials across Europe. Traditional methods used to disable or stop fleeing vehicles, such as spike strips or physical ramming, often carry significant risks...

Europe at a crossroads? Former ambassador...

The 20th GLOBSEC Forum, held in Prague from 12 – 14 June 2025, brought in more than 2,000 attendees representing 78 countries to discuss the geopolitical challenges of our era. While there, I spoke to former ambassador to the US, Israel, the...

Ostrava restorers bring British 1920s...

The restoration lab of Ostrava Technical University successfully revived British-built motorcycle AJS 500 OHV from 1929. After successful test drives, the vehicle has been displayed to the public at Kunín Chateau, half an hour away from Ostrava...

Meanders through Prague: a family-friendly...

There are plenty of guides to Prague, but few consider the city from a child’s point of view. Meanders through Prague, first published in 2024 and now heading into its second edition, offers a fresh and creative way to explore the Czech...

A tribute to Filip Topol, frontman of the...

Filip Topol, the late frontman of the legendary Czech rock band Psí vojáci (Dog Warriors), was born 60 years ago this week, on June 12, 1965. He gave his first performance in the spring of 1978 at the cottage of then-dissident Václav Havel...

Biggest bank failure in Czech history: IPB...

In June 2000, Czechia experienced the biggest banking crash in its history. The Investment and Postal Bank (IPB), once the third largest bank in the country, found itself in a deep crisis, ultimately resulting in a dramatic intervention by the...

Czech students join Shell’s global eco...

For the first time in history, a team of Czech students is taking part in the Shell Eco-marathon, global competition focused on energy efficiency, sponsored by the oil and gas giant. Until Sunday, the team from the Czech Technical University’s...

Journalist Petr Brod on Czech-German...

Petr Brod, a veteran journalist who grew up in a Jewish, German-speaking family in Prague and moved to West Germany in 1969, was one of the recipients of the Medal for Merit in Diplomacy on June 3rd. How does it feel to be a recipient of this...

Archaeologists discover mummy of boy in...

The Hendrich family tomb in Skalná in the Cheb region, which was seriously damaged by vandals, was opened after a difficult reconstruction. After the archaeological research that preceded the reconstruction, experts also discovered the...

The Fassati Art Festival – 2025 –...

The Fassati Art Festival is an art project that offers a unique blend of experiences, encompassing music, fine arts, architecture, design, epicurean delicacies, emotions, and interpersonal harmony. The main idea of ​​the festival was prepared...

2025 Festival of Embassies – Food &...

For the 8th year, Prague 6 is organizing a special and unique festival – the Festival of Embassies – Food & Culture. This year, 56 countries and Ambassadors participated in this big festival.  The festival was hosted by Mr. Jakub Starek...