Explore Prague

07/04/2025

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 & 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬! 🎓🇨🇿

Today we’re celebrating the anniversary of 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲’s founding! 🎉 On April 7, 1348, King Charles IV 👑 established Central Europe’s very first university, shaping generations of scholars.

Originally modeled after the University of Paris (Sorbonne) 🎓, Charles University started with four faculties:

🧠 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 | ⛪ 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 | ⚖️ 𝐋𝐚𝐰 | 🏥 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞

Fast forward to today, and it has 17 faculties, with campuses in Prague, Hradec Králové, and Pilsen 🏙️.

Its historic core, 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐦🏰, has been an academic stronghold since 1383, making it one of the oldest university buildings still in use!

Beyond academics, Charles University has shaped history. During the 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟗)✊, its students played a key role in overthrowing communist rule—a testament to their commitment to change and freedom.

Today, Charles University ranks 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝟏.𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 worldwide 🌐, remaining a source of immense Czech pride. 📚

05/04/2025

🌷 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 🌷

Prague’s Easter Markets start today! From April 5th to April 27th, 2025, the city comes alive with festive charm, centuries-old traditions, and the joyful spirit of spring.

A highlight of the markets is the beautifully decorated birch tree 🌳 in 𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐞, where cultural performances take place daily. Expect a diverse lineup of ethnographic and folklore acts, including Irish dance 💃, Romani music and dance 🎶, medieval melodies 🎻, and more.

For younger visitors, interactive workshops offer hands-on fun, from painting Easter eggs 🖌️🥚 and crafting festive decorations 🎨 to baking lamb-shaped pastries 🍰 and braiding traditional willow whips 🌿—a beloved Czech Easter custom.

📍 Where to Find Prague’s Easter Markets?

While Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) 🌟 is the heart of the festivities, you can also explore Easter markets at:

🐎 𝐖𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐞 (Václavské náměstí)
🌆 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚́𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐞́ 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐞 (Mariánské náměstí)
🌟 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐞 (náměstí Míru)
🌉 𝐍𝐚 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐞̌ 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐞 (Na Kampě)

🕙 The main markets (Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square) are open daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

03/04/2025

Cappuccino after lunch? Italians say no. 🚫

Flat white anytime? Czechs say 𝑁𝑎 𝑧𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖́! 🍻

Sit back, relax and enjoy every sip of our fresh brewtiful blend. ☕ Plus, the creamy white foam does not need any art, it’s art by itself!

01/04/2025

🌸𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞! 🌸

Spring is here, and Prague is bursting with history, traditions, and festivities! 🇨🇿✨ This month, we’re diving into:

🔹 𝐀 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 – Besides beer, what else holds a special place in Czech hearts? 🍺🎓
🔹 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐬 – The Easter treats most tourists overlook! 🍽️🥮
🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – Charming or totally inappropriate? 🤔
🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐱 – Why does one of the world’s most secular nations hold onto so many religious traditions? ⛪🇨🇿
🔹 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐲 – From Blue Monday to Green Thursday’s spinach dishes, discover Easter traditions you won’t find anywhere else! 🥬🔔🌿

…and much more!

Stay tuned and let us know in the comments - which topic intrigues you the most? 🤩👇

28/03/2025

𝐉𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐬: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 🇨🇿📚

🎉 Today, we celebrate the birthday of a total Czech legend, 𝐉𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐬 (1592 – 15 November 1670)! 🇨🇿 While he might not be one of the most widely recognized names, Comenius is probably the most influential Czech in your life, whether you realize it or not! 🤯

Why, you ask? 🤔 Well, this philosopher, pedagogue, and theologian is considered the 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 📚 As a bishop, educator, and theologian, he ran schools and offered advice to governments all across Protestant Europe, all the way throughout the mid-seventeenth century. 📚✝️🌍

He introduced groundbreaking ideas like:
✨ 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 written in native languages (no more boring Latin!)
✨ Learning focused on 𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 instead of endless memorization (still waiting for full implementation on that one 🤷‍♂️)
✨ Advocating for 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 for all, including impoverished children and women 👩‍🎓👨‍🎓

So, if you ever liked school, you can thank Comenius for making it way more interesting. 🎒 If you didn’t—trust me, it could have been way worse without him! 🙈

Since his educational reforms laid the foundation for how we still learn today, he’s probably 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 in the lives of most non-Czechs. 🌍

Here’s to Master John Amos! 🥂 May teaching continue to inspire and be as fun as he envisioned for generations to come! 🌟

27/03/2025

𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐲́ 𝐒𝐯𝐞̌𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 🤫

As spring slowly wakes up in Prague, it’s the perfect time to discover something new. So, here’s our hidden gem of the month— 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐲́ 𝐒𝐯𝐞̌𝐭 (which literally means New World in Czech)!

Now, imagine this: You’re at Prague Castle. The view is stunning, the history is rich… but wait. You turn around, and suddenly—𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮, selfie sticks in hand, guides waving umbrellas, a marching army of sightseeing groups closing in. 😨💨

What do you do? Hold your breath, make a swift exit, and head straight to 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐲́ 𝐒𝐯𝐞̌𝐭. 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Tucked just behind the castle, this fairytale street is a time machine to Old Prague—no crowds, just colorful historic houses, cobblestone paths, and total peace. 🏡✨

It’s the kind of place that makes you 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬—not because of, you know, the current state of world affairs, but in a good way. In fact, in a best possible way. 🌿✨

𝐏𝐫𝐨 𝐭𝐢𝐩: If you wanna learn more, check out 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐲́ 𝐒𝐯𝐞̌𝐭, as well as other hidden gems near the historic castle district—full of secret corners waiting to be explored: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3edH4gPdXA 🎥📍

23/03/2025

☁️ Hello, Lazy Sunday! ☕️

The weather might be grey, but nothing brightens the mood like a good brunch. 🥞🍳 Whether you're craving fluffy pancakes, a proper fry-up, or just a cozy café vibe, Prague has you covered.

Check out this super-detailed guide to some of the best breakfast and brunch spots in the city—perfect for Saturdays, Sundays (or any day, really). 🗓️✨

And if you’re still stuck in that age-old dilemma—latte now or save for property later?—don’t worry, we crunched the numbers for you. Turns out, you’d need to skip 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬 just to save up for a down payment. 😱

So why not just enjoy one (or two) today? 🌿

https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/discover-prague-most-appealing-menus-and-venues-must-try-breakfast-and-brunch-spots-for-every-occasion

21/03/2025

𝐒𝐯𝐢́𝐜̌𝐤𝐨𝐯𝐚́ - 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 ✨

𝐒𝐯𝐢́𝐜̌𝐤𝐨𝐯𝐚́ , one of the staples of Czech cuisine, is a slow-cooked beef dish, usually made from tender sirloin, marinated with veggies like carrots, onions, and celery, and simmered in a rich broth. 🥕🧅🍖

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐜𝐞? A creamy, tangy mix of heavy cream and vinegar—a perfect balance of richness with just a little zing. ✨🌿

And, of course, it’s served with 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐢́𝐤𝐲—Czech bread dumplings that soak up that saucy goodness like a sponge. 🍞

But wait… 🤔 Here’s the real twist—𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦, served on the top! 😅Yes, you heard that right. An unusual combination, to say the least, but here in the Czech Republic, it’s a cherished classic. Simple, comforting, and surprisingly delicious. 🥄🍰

This dish is a testament to the surprising side of Czech cuisine, showing that it's not all predictable — it can also be bold, quirky, and delightfully unexpected. 😋✨"

𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭? 🤷‍♂️

Just like some other questionable combos—pineapple on pizza 🍍🍕, ice cream and French fries (that one’s gross though 😅🍦🍟), or sandals with socks 🧦👡—Svíčková might just surprise you.

The point is: you don’t really know until you try it. 🤷‍♂️So, go ahead and give it a try!

17/03/2025

🍀 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐒𝐭. 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲! 🍀

To all who love Ireland, Irish music, green beer, the color green, Colin Farrell—or just enjoy a bit of festive chaos on the streets—cheers to 𝐒𝐭. 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲! 🍀🌈🎶🍻

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥?

While most saints' days call for quiet reflection, St. Patrick’s Day is all about 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬, 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐨𝐲 that might leave you wondering if St. Patrick himself would approve. 🎉

But who was 𝐒𝐭. 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 anyway? 🤔

A 5th-century missionary credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. His life? Mostly legends, but let’s be honest—it’s the celebration that counts. 🇮🇪💚

Sure, the Czechs love St. Patrick’s Day - because 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐛 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞! 🍻

But let’s be honest: they’re not exactly lining up for Guinness. Why? Well, when you’re used to sipping world-class Czech beers like Pilsner for pocket change, paying almost twice as much for a pint of 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 makes you think twice!

✨ 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞? ✨

Many Irish pubs here turn St. Patrick’s Day into a weekend—or even a week-long-event! 🍀🎉

Looking for the best spots to raise an overpriced pint? Check out our top picks 👉 https://shorturl.at/tErVC

16/03/2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐰 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 🇨🇿🌍

✨ As the last woman in our series honoring amazing Czech women 🇨🇿, we’ve chosen someone many don’t even realize has Czech roots—𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭! 🌍

Born in Prague in 1937 as 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐨̈𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐚́, her life was shaped by war, exile, and resilience. After fleeing N**i occupation and later escaping communist Czechoslovakia, her family found freedom in the U.S. It was there she became Madeleine Albright—a name reflecting her European journey and American destiny. 🇫🇷➡️🇺🇸

Despite hardships, she made history as the 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 (𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟕-𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟏), breaking barriers for women in diplomacy 💼💪.

🔹𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲: Having lived through both N**ism and Communism, she was a fierce defender of democracy and human rights, warning against the rise of authoritarianism. Her book "𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦: 𝐀 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠" (2018) is as relevant as ever!

💡 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰? The famous quote 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 was coined but no other than Ms. Albright herself!🔥

🕊️ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭: Though raised Catholic, she later discovered her Jewish heritage in 1997, learning that many family members had perished in the Holocaust.

Madeleine Albright’s life is a powerful testament to the lasting impact of strong Czech women on the world stage. 🌍❤️🇨🇿

14/03/2025

📖 𝐁𝐨𝐳̌𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐍𝐞̌𝐦𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐚́: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 ✍️

𝐁𝐨𝐳̌𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐍𝐞̌𝐦𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐚́ (1820-1862), born as Barbora Novotná, was a Czech writer, activist, feminist, and one of the most influential figures of the 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (a movement to revive Czech language, culture, and identity under Habsburg rule) and without a doubt, its most influential female voice.

Her most famous work, 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐜̌𝐤𝐚 (The Grandmother) 📖, a nostalgic tale of rural life, wisdom, and kindness, centered on a beloved grandmother, remains one of the most iconic Czech novels.

🇨🇿 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲 – 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞

Writing in her own, Czech language, celebrating folklore, and cherishing tradition might not sound as the most progressive act nowdays. But in the early 19th century, when Czech lands were part of the Habsburg Monarchy and German was the dominant official language, it was an act of quiet rebellion. 💥✊

Defending the Czech language meant preserving national identity 🇨🇿, striving for cultural and political autonomy 🏛️, and advocating for equality ⚖️. For Božena Němcová, this also meant standing up for women’s rights 👩‍🎓✨—long before it became a widespread cause.

🔥 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥

Němcová’s own life, marked by an unhappy marriage 💔, financial struggles 💰, and a society unready for her, was no fairy tale. Yet she never stopped writing, dreaming, and fighting 💪 for her beliefs.

💸 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐲?
Today, her face is on the 500 CZK banknote 💵, yet she died in poverty—a fate shared by far too many great minds before and after her. 😔

𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭: Babička is part of the compulsory reading list for Czech schoolkids. And to be fair, it’s not exactly their favorite. The world it paints feels far away, and the old-fashioned language—full of archaisms and regional expressions—can be tricky for young readers. 📚 But for many, it’s a story that 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 later in life, when we can appreciate its warmth, wisdom, and timeless charm. ✨

12/03/2025

🎨 𝐓𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐧: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝

Born as 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐂̌𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢́𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚́, 𝐓𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐧 (1902–1980) was one of the most influential Czech artists and a key figure in surrealism. She worked closely with greats like 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞́ 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐧 and left a lasting mark on both Czech and French art scenes. Always unconventional, always ahead of her time.

⚡ 𝐑𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠

Toyen never identified as a woman—something almost unheard of in the early 20th century. Even her name was a statement:

🔹 Some say it comes from 𝑡𝑜 𝑗𝑒 𝑜𝑛 ("it is he").
🔹 Others believe it’s from the French 𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑛 ("citizen"), suggesting a refusal to be defined by gender or nationality.

🔥𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐝 & 𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬

Her art explored war, desire, and the subconscious, creating haunting, otherworldly compositions. With a fascination for the erotic and surreal, Toyen painted worlds that were unsettling, poetic, and impossible to categorize—just like her own identity. A true queen (or king… or neither… or both).

💜 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞—𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲

We know Toyen might roll her eyes at being included in a series on influential Czech women. But let’s be honest—who wouldn’t want someone this fearless, original, and rebellious on their team? So, just for today, we’re keeping her (?) on ours.

10/03/2025

🌸𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐚́𝐤𝐨𝐯𝐚́: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 🕊️✨🎗️

𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐚́𝐤𝐨𝐯𝐚́ (1901-1950) was a Czech politician, resistance fighter, and fierce advocate for democracy. During WWII, she fought in the underground resistance and later served in the National Assembly, striving to strengthen women’s rights and protect democratic values.

🔹 𝐔𝐧𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲

In 1949, she was arrested on 𝐟𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 of plotting against the Communist regime. She faced a brutal show trial organized according to Soviet model, which subsequently served as a model for other political processes. But unlike other defendents, she refused to submit—never confessing to a crime she didn’t commit, despite relentless pressure.

🌍✨ Many prominent figures in the West — including 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐄𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧, Vincent Auriol 🇫🇷, 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐭, and 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥 — petitioned to save her life. 🙏

Her final words before ex*****on?

𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐼 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑟. 𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑦, 𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐼 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢.

Her unwavering defiance sets her apart—she died standing by her truth.

🎬 Want to know more?
Check out the film Milada (2017), based on her her life.

08/03/2025

🌸 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲! 🎉

Today, we celebrate all women—and everyone who embraces both their strength & sensitivity, courage & compassion. 🌿

In the coming week, we’ll be remembering some of the most remarkable Czech women who continue to inspire us:

⚖️ 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐚́𝐤𝐨𝐯𝐚́ – A fearless politician and human rights defender who paid the ultimate price for standing up to totalitarianism

📖 𝐁𝐨𝐳̌𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐍𝐞̌𝐦𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐚́ – A literary icon, feminist and a patriot - 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑙

🎨 𝐓𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐧 – A groundbreaking surrealist artist who defied conventions and probably the most progressive Czech woman ever

💼 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 – Although arguably one of the most influential figures of Czech origin in modern history, many may not know that Albright is of Czech descent.

Stay tuned as we share their stories. 💜

28/02/2025

❤️ 𝐀 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥: 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 & 𝐚 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭-𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 🇨🇿✨

If you're planning a visit to the National Theatre in Prague (and if you read our recent post about Czech theatre, you definitely should 😉), you might come across
a lovely sculpture named 𝐒𝐫𝐝𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨 𝐕𝐚́𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐥𝐚 (𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐚́𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐯 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥).

❤️ It stands in what used to be the Piazzetta of the National Theatre, later renamed Piazzetta of Václav Havel in his honor.

No idea who Václav Havel was? 😲 No worries—just do a little finger workout and scroll down to our post from Dec 18 last year. We promise it’s worth it! 😉📜✨

Unveiled in 2016, right in front of the theatre, the sculpture reflects Havel’s deep connection to culture, arts, and freedom. On its surface, you’ll find two special messages - one from his wife Dagmar Havlová, and another from none other than the Dalai Lama! ✍️🕊️

💡 Fun fact: The heart symbol was closely tied to Havel - he often signed his name with a little heart (📸 Photo 2) as a reflection of his warmth, idealism, and optimism. ❤️

And in a way, if Czechs had a national Valentine, a person they collectively (despite their usual disagreements over public figures) deeply cherish, miss, and are kind of in love with, it would be no other than Václav Havel. An emotional idealist, a romantic at heart, and - let’s be honest—a man who also loved women quite a bit 😉, he might just be the ultimate romantic figure of contemporary Czech history.

24/02/2025

🕊️𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 – 𝐀 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫

If you feel profoundly disturbed, yet deeply moved by what you see in these photos, you're absolutely spot on! 😔 What you're looking at is perhaps the most famous anti-communist sculpture in Prague: 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦, also known as 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐧. 🇨🇿

Located at the base of Petrin Hill on Ujezd Street, it’s accessible by a lovely stroll through Mala Strana or by tram from the city center 🚶‍♀️🚋.

"The memorial to the victims of communism is dedicated to all victims, not only those who were jailed or executed but also those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism."hose style was inspired by 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐢𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢. The statue was unveiled in 2002 as a powerful reminder of what totalitarian regimes do to people. Sadly, the message resonates more than ever today. ⚖️

The bronze strip along the center of the memorial lists the estimated numbers of individuals affected by repression during the communist era:

🚔 205,486 arrested
🌍 170,938 exiled
⚰️ 4,500 died in prison
💔 327 shot trying to escape
⚖️ 248 executed

A nearby plaque reads:
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚 𝑖𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑠, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑗𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑑, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑚.

May it never happen again! 🙏

21/02/2025

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟗𝟒𝟖 𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 🇨🇿💔

Although communism—and even more so, a coup d'état—is hardly romantic, it ironically took shape during so-called "months of love" in Prague in 1948, from 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟏 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟓💔🇨🇿

𝐒𝐨, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧? 🤔
After the 1945 elections in Czechoslovakia, the Communists were riding high, winning nearly 40% of the vote (fun fact: that’s the best performance by a European Communist party in a free election!). 📊 They became a major force in the newly formed government. 😬

𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬̌: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 🤦‍♂️
Then came the huge role of Prime Minister Edvard Beneš who made a series of critical miscalculations.🤦‍♂️ As the Communists in government started exhibiting certain non-democratic tendencies (surprise, surprise 🙄), 12 non-communist ministers resigned in protest on Feb 21, hoping that Beneš wouldn’t accept their resignations. However, fearing Soviet intervention and potential violence, Beneš remained passive. 😳

And just like that, the Communists saw their chance. In 📸 photo 2, you can see the so-called Lidové milice (People’s Militia), an illegal paramilitary force founded on Feb 21—intimidating political opponents, occupying strategic locations, and backing the communist takeover.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡: 𝟒𝟎 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 😓
Historians argue that if Beneš had acted differently, the Communists would’ve had to face new elections, risking the loss of much of their power. Instead, they seized it. 👊 The outcome? Over 40 years of living under a totalitarian regime, with constant surveillance, repression, and a lack of personal and political freedoms. 😓

18/02/2025

🎭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐚́𝐫𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐦𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐧 – 𝐀 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 🇨🇿

If you dive into Czech theatre, you can’t miss 𝐉𝐚́𝐫𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐦𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 — an incredibly original, deeply humorous character who is, in many ways, SO CZECH! 😂

But who is Jára Cimrman anyway? 🤔

He’s a fictional genius, created in 1966 by the Oscar-winning actor and writer 𝐙𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞̌𝐤 𝐒𝐯𝐞̌𝐫𝐚́𝐤 and his friend 𝐉𝐢𝐫̌𝐢́ 𝐒̌𝐞𝐛𝐚́𝐧𝐞𝐤 for a satirical radio play. Over time, he became one of the most beloved figures in Czech culture. ❤️ According to legend, Cimrman was a universal genius who made groundbreaking discoveries—but was always unfairly overlooked by history.

His supposed achievements? 👇

✨ Inventing the light bulb, telephone, and airplane before Edison, Bell, and the Wright brothers.
📖 Advising Tolstoy, Freud, and Einstein (but his notes were tragically lost 😅).
🎭 Writing brilliant plays, only to have them "discovered" long after his death—forming the foundation of the famous Cimrman Theatre in Prague.

Why do Czechs love Cimrman so much? 💙

In words of his creator, Zdeněk Svěrák:
🗣️ 𝐻𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡.

But more than that, Cimrman represents the sharp, ironic, and self-reflective Czech humor that makes this culture so unique.

𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭: In 2005, Cimrman won a nationwide poll for "𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞" —but was disqualified because, well... he never actually existed. 😂

Czech TV host Marek Eben summed it up perfectly:
🗣️ 𝐶𝑖𝑚𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑜𝑟, 𝑠𝑜 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑧𝑒𝑐ℎ 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑜𝑟. 𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑦.

In short, Jara Cimrman is Czech humor in a nutshell! 🇨🇿😂