Posts

We kept a lid on it for a long time, but we are not going to keep this excellent news secret any longer.  We have another unique chick! They are amazing – no ugly ducklings, quite the opposite. And extremely rare, on top of it. The first in...

Ms. Marialuisa Pappalardo – director of Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Praga, the Embassy of Italy, and the Fondazione Arena di Verona, organized a presentation of the Arena di Verona 2025 Opera Festival in the beautiful Baroque Chapel of the...

The biggest International tourism fair in Prague took place on 14.-16 March 2025 at the PVA Expo Praha complex in Letňany. It was the 33rd annual fair. This year, the fair runs concurrently with the 15th cycling fair “for Bikes, and the...

Czech President Petr Pavel, who is on an official visit to Chisinau on Thursday, assured his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu of Czech support for Moldova’s EU bid, offering to share the country’s experience. See more here. Author: Ruth Fraňková

Prague’s Václav Havel Airport expects a significant increase in traffic this year. It should handle a record 18 million passengers and surpass the last pre-peak year in 2019. According to representatives of Václav Havel Airport, Prague needs to...

US-born Guy Roberts founded and heads the Prague Shakespeare Company. He can also currently be seen on TV screens around the world acting in the fantasy series The Wheel of Time, whose third season has just kicked off. Our conversation also...

Thursday marks exactly 550 years since the foundation stone of Prague’s Powder Tower was laid. This grand Gothic gateway, once the entrance for coronation processions of Czech kings, remains one of the city’s most iconic medieval...

Daniel Sywala is a music journalist, broadcaster and language tutor based in Prague. He spoke to Danny Bate about his career and his efforts to champion the culture, music, food and people of former Yugoslavia, as well as discussing Czech...

If you are visiting the Czech Republic and are wondering what souvenirs to take home for yourself or as gifts for friends, here are some tips that are sure to please. They all have the Czech “stamp” on them and cover a broad price range, so you...

Tucked away just a short walk from the well-trodden tourist paths of Hradčany lies a quiet green space that preserves a little-known chapter of Prague’s military past. Park Max van der Stoel may seem like an ordinary public park, but along its...

Drink spiking – adding alcohol or drugs to someone else’s drink without their knowledge – has been a widely unacknowledged phenomenon in Czechia. There were previously no statistics for it, but now the Beat Sexism organisation has published an...

In Czechia it is not often that you board a train driven by a woman. The first documented case of a woman driving a locomotive in Czechoslovakia was Margita Horváthová back in 1963. More than 60 years later, female train drivers are still few...

Diagnosing dyslexia in children could soon be faster and more accurate thanks to scientists in Brno. They are developing an eye-tracker, a device that monitors eye movements while reading. The technology could help experts better understand...

A lowly tradesman in Roman times was a caupō, and to trade or barter was to caupōnārī. From either the noun or the verb, the modern Germanic languages of Swedish, Dutch and German get their words for ‘to buy’: köpa, kopen and kaufen. What’s...

Historian Radka Šustrová shares how her passion for history was shaped by family memory and the story of her grandfather, who was executed during the Nazi occupation. She explains her work with archival materials and why it’s essential to study...

The US government is halting financial support for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), whose headquarters is based in Prague. The organization has 21 bureaus and broadcasts in 27 languages to 23 countries, promoting independent journalism...

A new website is giving Kingdom Come: Deliverance fans the chance to explore real-world locations featured in the game. Through interactive trails, costumed tours, medieval feasts, and more, the site lets players visit places like Kutná Hora...

The fact that carriage driving is on the rise in Czech was demonstrated by the large number of spectators and competitors at the indoor horse-drawn carriage races in the riding hall of the Veterinary University of Brno on March 15th. The...

In 2005, a fragment of a previously unknown Latin translation of the Chronicle of Dalimil, the first chronicle written in the Czech language, was successfully auctioned off in Paris. Dating back to the 14th century, this beautifully illuminated...

Gaia Mesiah is one of the bands that have influenced the Czech scene the most. The predominantly female band combines rock, punk and grunge, among other genres, and has many fans all over the country. It all started at the beginning of the new...

President Petr Pavel received the President of Mongolia, Uchnagin Chürelsüch, at Prague Castle on Monday, March 10. Together, they discussed the current situation in the world and the possible expansion of mutual cooperation. “Mongolia is...

The final press conference before the start of the World EXPO 2025, took place on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in the beautiful Art Nevou Fantova Building at the Main Railway Station (Praha Hlavní nádraží) During the press conference, Ondřej...

On the occasion of the state visit of H.E Mr. Khurelsukh Ukknaa, President of Mongolia, to the Czech Republic, Her Excellency Mrs. Nomin Chinbat, Minister for Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth of Mongolia organized a Concert of Mongolia’s...

Korean Air has introduced its new corporate identity on March 11, revealing a modernized version of its signature Taegeuk symbol. The unveiling took place at the airline’s headquarters hangar in Seoul during an exclusive event titled...

President 2nd year Druhý rok na Hradě

A major exhibition dedicated to the legendary Mongolian ruler Chinggis Khan opened this week at Prague’s National Museum. Showcasing more than 260 rare items from Mongolia, many of which are seldom seen abroad, the exhibition includes an...

In addition to Germany, Poland, and Austria, Czechs may also be able to reach Slovakia by train on the high-speed line in the future. The Slovak side has completed a feasibility study for the route between Bratislava and the Czech border, which...

Vyšehrad, Prague’s legendary hilltop fortress, offers visitors far more than stunning views and ancient monuments. Beneath its walls lies a lesser-known historical marvel—the Vyšehrad Casemates, an underground complex from the 17th...

At the height of his career in the 1960s, jazz legend Louis Armstrong embarked on a tour across eastern Europe. Czechoslovakia was both the first and longest destination for the American trumpeter and singer. In March 1965, he spent 10 days in...

The One World Documentary Festival kicks off in Prague on Wednesday, shedding light on some of the most pressing social and political issues of our time. This year’s program features 84 documentaries, along with several fictional, immersive...

Exactly fifty years ago, Olga Hepnarová became the last woman to be executed in Czechoslovakia. Her case still haunts the Czech public imagination. It was one of the most shocking crimes in Czechoslovakia’s post-war history. On July 10...

Although women composers have been around for centuries, the field remains largely male-dominated, with few women leading prominent global ensembles. Born 110 years ago, Vítězslava Kaprálová may have been one of those women had she lived longer...

Even after nearly eight decades, the circumstances surrounding the death of Jan Masaryk remain unclear. The son of Czechoslovakia’s first president and the country’s top diplomat died on March 10, 1948, just weeks after the Communist coup...

Venezuelan-born Jerina Sykora was named after her Czech grandmother Jiřina, who fled to the South American state in the wake of the 1948 Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia. Jerina herself fled in the other direction; among millions of people...

Vlny (Waves) was the big winner at this year’s Czech Lion national film awards, taking home six prizes, including Best Film and Best Director for Jiří Mádl. The ceremony took place at Prague’s Rudolfinum, where Mádl’s historical drama dominated...

Giant light puppets and projections on St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral were part of the Plzeň 2025 – Open Up! event at the weekend, which launched celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the city being declared European Capital of...

Led by the Soviet Union’s Red Army, the Moravia–Ostrava offensive was the largest combat operation on the territory of modern-day Czechia. It lasted almost two months, from March 10th to May 6h 1945, and approximately 400,000 soldiers were...

‘Host’ might be a challenge for English-speaking Czech learners, since the word looks like the opposite of what it means – not a guest, but a host! One thing to bear in mind is that very early Czech went through a change that turned...

On today’s Sunday Music Show, we present the soundtrack to last year’s hit film, Vlny, or ‘Waves’. This thrilling film, directed by Jiří Mádl, presents the story of a team of daring radio presenters, who lived and broadcast through...

The history of one of the most significant towns in the South Bohemian Region dates back to 1265. Its foundation is credited to Přemysl Otakar II, known as the “Iron and Gold King.” While the process of founding Budějovice began as...

The world-famous Michelin Guide will feature Czechia as one of the top culinary destinations. The Czech state agency CzechTourism has signed a three-year contract with the French company Michelin worth 1.3 million euros. Radio Prague...

Between galaxies in the universe, winds blow, made up of a stream of intergalactic gas particles. These have been described in detail for the first time by an international team of scientists, including astrophysicists from Masaryk University...

On the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Bulgaria, The Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria H.E. Mr. Dantcho Dobrinov MITCHEV hosts a reception at the beautiful  Bulgarian embassy in Prague. Mr. Jan Marian – Deputy minister of...

H.E. Ms. Maria-Antoaneta BARTA – The Ambassador of Romania in the Czech Republic hosted a friendly event at the beautiful Palace of Romania Embassy to celebrate “Mărțișorulu”, a traditional holiday that symbolizes in Romania the arrival of...

I am a journalist, not a restaurant reviewer, and I love good food and great service. From time to time, I go with good friends to eat at a new restaurant. This time, my friend chose an Italian restaurant in Prague’s Old Town, by the Jewish...

A major exhibition of Alfons Mucha’s posters and banners has opened in Washington, D.C. Entitled Eternal Mucha – The Magic of the Line, the exhibition showcases the works of the famous Art Nouveau artist and will travel across the United States...

Born Peter Löw in 1935 in Karlovy Vary, Gidon Lev survived with his mother during the Shoah, after four years of internment in Terezín/Theresienstadt, while 26 members of his family were killed. After the war, he left Czechoslovakia in 1948...

There will be a Children’s Ombudsman in Czechia as early as 1 July 2025, the Senate decided on Wednesday. The Children’s Ombudsman is to focus on the rights of children who have been “forgotten” by the system. So what...

The heated meeting that took place last week on Friday in the Oval Office between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky led to increased interest in Czechia in financial aid to Ukraine. Gift for Putin...

Art therapy is a discipline using artistic means and creativity to support self-development, personal growth and healing. The World Festival of Therapeutic Arts, due to take place in Prague at the end of September, is expected to attract both...

The administration of the Krkonoše National Park have launched a project to bring back the rare silver fir to the local forests. For the first time ever, they’ve begun collecting grafts from these majestic trees to protect them and preserve...

Today, seeing female specialists perform life-saving surgeries or lead ground-breaking medical research feels entirely natural. However, not long ago, women faced significant obstacles in entering the field. It was only in 1902 that the first...

Property damage due to extreme weather events in Czechia has been increasing for a long time. According to the Czech Association of Insurance Companies, last year was another confirmation of this trend. Due to the autumn floods, as well as...

As the US announce suspension of military aid to Ukraine, Czechia must prepare for potential escalation and increased Russian influence efforts, warns political scientist Jiří Pehe. In an interview, he outlined the key security challenges...

Prehistoric mammoth hunters who moved across the Czech lands roughly 30,000 years ago are being tracked today by Olomouc scientists. By mapping ancient deposits of worked flint, they have found that the hunters could move over distances of one...

Unique remains of a 14th-century street surface have been discovered behind the Green Gate in Pardubice. See more here. Author: Jakub Ferenčík

Social scholarships, which provide financial aid for studying at university, are a vital source of income for academically aspirational students from low-income families. Only five hundred students currently receive them in Czechia, but this...

An extensive security operation in recent days has seen Prague police officers and the foreign police checking four hundred taxi drivers, and imposing fines of more than 300,000 crowns, Prague police spokesman Richard Hrdina reported on Tuesday...

Ondřej Pilný is a professor of English and American literatures at Prague’s Charles University, where he also heads the Centre for Irish Studies. As he explains in our interview, his career path was greatly shaped by a series of coincidences...

There are many forms of development aid and cooperation, but some come with added value: bringing not just finances and jobs, but know-how and new friendships. A group of Czech volunteers are engaged in one such project in Kashitu, Zambia. A...

Tomáš Sedláček, an economist, philosopher, and former advisor to President Václav Havel, has been appointed as the new director of the Václav Havel Library. See more here. Author: Vít Pohanka

Prime Minister Petr Fiala has urged a boost in military aid to Ukraine in light of the European leaders’ summit in London. He stated that this is the only way to prevent an aggressive Russia from advancing just a few hundred kilometers...

Czech tennis player Tomáš Macháč has claimed his first career ATP title after defeating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich 7:6, 6:2 in the final of the Mexico Open in Acapulco. Following the victory, he moved up to 20th place in the ATP...

In their Latin language, the Romans had the word castellum, which meant ‘fortress’. This is straightforwardly the origin of English castle, but in Czech it has taken on a religious meaning. Along with Slovak kostol and Polish kościół, the Czech...

Hello and welcome to RPI’s Sunday Music Show with me RF. On March 3, 1875, Georges Bizet’s Carmen had its world premiere at the Théâtre de l’Opéra-Comique in Paris. The opera triggered shock and disapproval for breaking away from...

Nowhere else in Europe has a chairlift been running longer than the one to the Pustevny mountain saddle, in the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains. It was put into operation on March 4th 1940. The oldest chairlift in Europe, which has been...

On the occasion of the Japanese Emperor’s 65th birthday and the National Day of Japan the Ambassador of Japan to the Czech Republic H.E. Mr. Kansuke NAGAOKA held a reception at the Marriot Hotel Prague. In front of the President of the Senate...

On the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of Pakistan-Czech Republic Diplomatic Relations (1950 – 2025), and the  “Pakistan Cuisine Week,” the Ambassador of Pakistan for the Czech Republic H.E. Ms. Ayesha Ali, hosted a diplomatic lunch at the...

Screening of the documentary “Abducted Childhood” followed by a discussion with the participation of Ukrainian Children abducted by Russia took place at Instituto Cervantes in Prague. The screening was hosted by the Ambassador of...

One day after the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the discussion addressed Ukraine’s most pressing challenges and opportunities in the years ahead. The debate organized by the Strategeo Institute and the Anglo-American...

He will celebrate his first birthday in May, but already now, the young Sumatran orangutan at Prague Zoo is taking his first steps towards independence. Until recently, Harapan observed the world only from the safety of his mother’s arms...

The speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová met with the Speaker of the Saxon State Assembly Alexander Dierks, in Prague. They discussed the results of the recent elections to the German Bundestag and closer Czech-Saxon...

The international order is undergoing its biggest change since the fall of communism and Europe must respond to it fast, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said in an address to the nation on Monday. He said Europe must pull together and put “both money...

The talented puppeteer, actor, juggler, watchmaker and war invalid was born on February 24th 1775 in Libčany near Hradec Králové. Kopecký was born into a family of nomadic comedians and from his early years travelled with his parents around the...

Real estate prices in Czechia increased by an average of nearly 11 % in 2024, while property sales surged by 34%, and new developments saw a 51% rise, according to data from the Czech Banking Association and Flat Zone. See more here. Author:...

Dozens of observant Jews will soon gather in the small South Moravian town of Holešov to honor Rabbi Shabtai ha-Kohen, or Shakh, on the anniversary of his death, more than three centuries ago. I spoke with Jakub Schwab, a tour guide and cantor...

The Czech government has released the first CZK 900 million for its affordable rental housing program, Prime Minister Petr Fiala (Civic Democratic Party) announced. See more here. Author: Vít Pohanka

Sent out from the heart of Europe, Czechia’s diplomats represent the country all over the world, including on the far side of the globe. As part of our new series on Czech Women Pioneers, we take a look at Czechia’s female ambassadors, who may...

The Prague-based, American-born writer, poet and columnist Michael March died on February 23rd. His death was announced by his wife Vlasta. Mr. March had lived in Prague since 1996, and was the founder and president of the international Prague...

UK businessman Guy Barker is behind a project set to bring a new terrace to the roof of Prague’s 19th century Rudolfinum. His Arcona Capital, a real estate investment company active in a number of EU countries, is a sponsor of the Czech...

Any peace agreement must be negotiated with Ukraine and accepted by that country, and negotiations must begin by acknowledging who is the aggressor and who is the victim, President Petr Pavel said in a video address to the Ukraine and Partner...

Two artificial icefalls on rocks more than 40 metres high opened to the public for the first time this winter season. They are located in the village of Vír in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the deep valley of the Svratka River, which...

On February 24th 2022, the world was shocked by the Russian military’s sudden invasion into Ukrainian territory as part of a so-called “special military operation”. Three years later, the fighting continues, and many Czechs are still actively...

A new ranking of Czechia’s micro-regions has revealed an unexpected winner when it comes to quality of life. According to a study by Česká spořitelna and the data platform Europe in data, the small town of Turnov, in the Liberec region, has...

Czech President Petr Pavel reaffirmed unwavering support for Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Speaking at a gathering in Prague’s Old Town Square, he emphasized that international law must not be compromised and...

Czech Radio is mourning one of its prominent music personalities – conductor of the Czech Radio Sympohony Orchestra Vladimír Válek, who led the ensemble for an incredible 26 years. Born on September 2, 1935 in Nový Jičín, Válek studied trombone...

Violent crimes committed by under 18s have increased by 25% in Czechia over the past two years, leaving the country worried about its children. What could be the cause? And the solution? Czechia has been shocked once again by a horrific crime...

Jacob Mikanowski is a historian, author, and journalist who has written the book Goodbye, Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land. A Czech translation of the book has been published in early 2025. Mikanowski takes us through...

The gifts that Czech presidents receive from visiting foreign heads of state and on their own travels abroad are carefully catalogued and either stored or exhibited at Prague Castle. Now, for the first time ever, the administration of President...

Prague is one step closer to its long-awaited Vltava Philharmonic Hall. Architects and city representatives have recently presented the final design to the public. The project documentation should be completed by autumn, with a building permit...

Hundreds of Czech farmers joined pan-European protests against food imports from outside the European Union on Thursday. They are calling for the cancellation of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, an end to duty-free imports from Ukraine and...

Vyšehrad, perched on a rocky hill above the Vltava River, is one of Prague’s most historically and culturally significant sites. Often overshadowed by Prague Castle, this ancient fortress has long been steeped in myths and legends. But beyond...

The Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, HE. Mr. Yashar Teymur Oglu Aliev, opened an exclusive exhibition devoted to two distinguished forms of applied art, both recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage: the Azerbaijani carpet...

On Monday, February 17, 2025, at Prague Castle, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary: H.E. Mrs. Ángela Marianna Vigliotta Mella, new Ambassador...

Czechia’s leaders have responded to statements by US President Donald Trump, in which the president called Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections”. President Petr Pavel said that to hold such a view “requires...

From February 24th, Czech art fans will have the chance to view some of the work of the twentieth-century artist Andy Warhol. A collaboration with the Warhol museum in Medzilaborce, Slovakia, ‘The Living Dream of Andy Warhol’ will run for two...

The world of aviation has long captured the imagination, but the profession is still dominated by men. That said, the field has come a long way since the first Czech woman pilot, Božena Laglerová, became the thirteenth woman pilot in the world...

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Czech humanitarian organizations have supported at least 3.6 million Ukrainians with aid worth over CZK 6.9 billion. The estimate includes donations from Czech donors and international...

Work is underway to reconstruct the roof of the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Vyšehrad, one of the most significant landmarks of Prague. The new slate tiles are being imported specially for this purpose from the US and Spain and will be...

Many European leaders have been aghast at American moves to unilaterally agree a Ukraine “peace deal” with Russia and their concerns have only been intensified by an explosive speech by the US vice-president that some say signals a sundering of...