The Doors of Prague

The ornate doors that adorn Prague’s buildings are some of the most beautiful yet underrated features of the city. The doors of Prague, which are rich with intricate details, come in a variety of colors and styles. The style of the doors range from Baroque to Art Nouveau and Neo-Classical. Some are painted and carved...

Architecture, CULTURE

December 10, 2016

Handcrafted Glass Ornaments from The Czech Republic

The tradition of glass making in the Czech Republic dates back as early as the 13th century. The glass produced in the Czech Republic is known as Bohemian glass or Bohemian crystal and is internationally recognized for it’s beauty and high quality. Czechs have long used their fine Bohemian glass to create various glass products,...

LIFESTYLE, Shopping

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December 9, 2016

The Christmas Market at Old Town Square

One of the best things about visiting Prague in the Winter are The Christmas Markets. Christmas Markets are set up throughout the city every year in late November and usually remain open till Early January. The largest Christmas Market in Prague is held in the historic Old Town Square, home to the famous Prague astronomical clock,...

CULTURE, Holidays

December 6, 2016

The Wallachian St. Nicholas Market

The Wallachian St. Nicholas Market (Czech: Valašské Mikuláš jarmek) is an annual cultural event which takes place in the Czech town of Valašské Klobouky (English: Wallachian Hats) every winter. The first Wallachian St. Nicholas Market took place in 1992 as an attempt to revive the tradition of St. Nicholas and to restore traditional festive markets...

CULTURE, Holidays

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December 5, 2016

The Tradition of Svatý Mikuláš

In the Czech Republic, the Mikuláš tradition is almost as big of a deal as Christmas, which is celebrated on December 24th in the Czech Republic. The famous Czech Advent tradition, which is called Svatý Mikuláš in Czech, takes place on the eve of his name day (Czech: svátek) on December 6th. The pre-Christmas celebration...

CULTURE, Holidays

czech-crowns-ceske-koruny-currency-tres-bohemes

December 2, 2016

Who Are The People on Czech Banknotes?

The colorful banknotes of the Czech Republic feature the faces of renowned Czech figures who are known for their contributions to the Czech culture and identity. Czech crowns, known as Koruny in the Czech language, are the official currency of the Czech Republic. The banknotes of the Czech Republic come in values of 100, 200,...

Bohemians, PEOPLE

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November 30, 2016

Border Crossings by Charles Nováček

Border Crossings is an award-winning memoir by Czech author Charles Nováček. It is an excellent book which mingles the fascinating life of an incredible man with the history and turmoil of his country during the 20th century. Charles Nováček was a member of the Czech resistance. He served in the resistance against the Nazi’s and,...

Books, ENTERTAINMENT

November 17, 2016

Why November 17th is The Date of Two Czech Holidays

On this day in 1939, all the universities and colleges in Prague closed. 1,200 Czech students were arrested, and nine students and professors were executed. November 17th has since been known as International Students’ Day. On the 28th of October in 1939, the Medical Faculty of Charles University held an anti-Nazi demonstration to commemorate the...

History, NOSTALGIA

November 9, 2016

A First Republic Czech Villa is Given New Life

In 1963, Ilona Wiss stood across the street from a villa situated on the corner of Pevnostní and Dělostřelecká in Prague, Czech Republic, with her mother and her brother. The villa, which her grandparents had built, was now property of the Czech government. As they stood before the villa, Ilona’s mother, Edith, told her children...

History, NOSTALGIA

October 25, 2016

The Ancient Town of Most is Brought Back To Life in a Book by Pavel Brycz

I, City is a novel about the Northern Czech city of Most written by Czech writer Pavel Brycz. It is comprised of short stories and poems or “Appearances” inspired by Most and it’s inhabitants. Most was an ancient town in Northern Czech Republic which was literally relocated by the Most Coal Company in order to extract...

Books, ENTERTAINMENT

October 6, 2016

Czechs Remember Vaclav Havel with Heart-Shaped Monument

A small square by the National Theater in Prague, Czech Republic was renamed yesterday after the late president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel. Havel was a Czech playwright, politician, and essayist. He was also the last president of Czechoslovakia (1989-1992) and the first president of the Czech Republic (1993-2003). Yesterday, on what would have been the late president’s 80th...

PLACES, Prague

August 24, 2016

The First Czech in America

The first Czech in America, Augustine Heřman arrived in New Amsterdam, now New York, in 1640. One of the first permanent settlers of Czech descent in America, he traded tobacco and furs, quickly becoming the largest exporter of tobacco in America. He became wealthy quickly and soon became the owner of considerable real estate. By...

LIFESTYLE

April 6, 2016

Grace Kelly’s Love of Flowers

On a cool March day in 1956 photographers and fans gathered around Grace Kelly’s Fifth Avenue apartment in New York City to snap photos and ask for autographs from the actress. Cradling a large bouquet of red roses in her arm, Kelly smiled and posed for photographs in the brisk March wind. Grace Kelly was...

LIFESTYLE

April 2, 2016

Where To Eat In Prague: Designum Café

Located on the infamous Nerudova Ulice, this little café is the perfect place to grab a coffee or cupcake on your way to the Prague Castle. Serving a wide variety of european pastries, pies, and cakes, this is a great place to stop if you are looking for something sweet. They also offer sandwiches. Their charming window display was...

Wanderlust

March 30, 2016

The Man Who Saved Czech Children

5In 1988 Grete Winton climbed into the attic of her home in Maidenhead, England where she found a scrapbook she had never seen before. The scrapbook contained lists of names, photographs, and multiple addresses. In that scrapbook, she discovered something about her husband, Nicholas Winton, which up until that point she had been unaware of....

LIFESTYLE, PEOPLE

March 18, 2016

How Franz Kafka’s Birthplace Became An Art Gallery

Franz Kafka was born in an apartment building on what used to be the edge of the Jewish Quarter on the corner of Kaprova Street and Maiselova Street in Prague. Located in Prague’s Old Town, the building was built during the first half of the 18th century and originally served as a monastery for the benedictine monks who administered the adjacent...

LIFESTYLE