Prague Blog

In November and December, Czechs commemorate the Velvet Revolution. It refers to a bloodless revolution in Czechoslovakia that saw the overthrow of the communist regime in 1989, and brought back democracy to Czechs after fifty years of lack of freedom – after Nazi occupation and communist rule.

Velvet Revolution is very special since revolutions usually go hand in hand with fighting. Because of its peacefulness it was named “Velvet” as the revolution was as smooth as this material.

It started off on November 17, 1989, as a peaceful officially-sanctioned march in Prague to commemorate Czech student Jan Opletal, who died at the hands of the country’s Nazi occupiers 50 years ago, in 1939. Students, however, soon started to scan slogans against the communist regime.

It is said that about 15 000 students had joined the demonstration. They walked to the grave of Jan Opletal and – after the official end – continued from the Czech National Cemetery at Vysehrad to Wenceslas Square calling for democratic reforms. They never made it there, however.

At about 7:30 pm, when they were halfway in their march, at Narodni Street, were the students stopped by a cordon of police. After few minutes, when the students offered flowers to the police shouting rhythmically: “We have bare hands” and singing songs, the police suddenly began to beat the young demonstrators with night sticks. Before that, the police managed to block all escape routes. Nearly 200 people were injured. One student was reported beaten to dead. Although this was later proved false, is served well for mass student’s support among general public.

November 17 was the impulse for great changes to come. The six-week period between November 17 and December 29, 1989, that is the time period called the Velvet revolution. On December 29, Vaclav Havel, a dissident and a play writer well known for his anti-communist opinions, became the President of the Czechoslovakia. Soon enough, in June 1990, the first democratic elections since 1946 were held in Czechoslovakia.

Visit the key places where Czech history was in making – Vysehrad Cemetery, Narodni Street and Wenceslas Square, where students were heading. At Narodni Street, best reached by trams 6, 9, 18, 22, 23 – station Narodni divadlo, there is even a memorial to November 17. I am sure there will be candles there on this day and few days after November 17 too.

President of the Czech Republic always lays flowers there on this special day. You may meet him there!!

It is in a passage through on the right side if you walk from the National Theater towards the Wenceslas Square. There is portrayed a hand on the wall showing a “V” with its finger, which stands for Victory. It was a favorite gesture of demonstrators during Velvet Revolution meaning we will succeed.

What is very interesting is that in 1989, November 17 fell on Friday. This year it is Friday too!

November 17 is not at all just an ordinary day in the Czech Republic. If you take a look at the Czech calendar, you will see that November 17 is marked as a public holiday. It is called the Day of a Struggle for Freedom and Democracy. It is a very important day for Czechs not only for one, but for two reasons!

On this day, Czechs commemorate two remarkable events in the Czech history – one happened in 1939 and another one exactly fifty years later, in 1989. The former commemorates the student demonstration against Nazi occupation, the later the demonstration against the communist government, which was again held by students, and led to the so called Velvet Revolution. Both evens are significant in fighting for freedom and democracy of the Czech people.

But why both events took place on November 17 and not on some other day? Well, both evens are connected. And I will tell you how.

It all started on October 28, 1939, which was the 21st anniversary of the independence of the Czechoslovak Republic. On this day there were big anti-Nazi demonstrations in Prague, which were suppressed by Nazi forces – you probably know that Czechs were occupied by Hitler’s Germany back then. One student, whose name was Jan Opletal, a nineteen year old student of the Medical Faculty of the Charles University in Prague, was seriously wounded there and died few days later.

His funeral, attended by thousands of students, turned into another anti-Nazi demonstration. This provoked the Nazis so much that on November 17 they ordered to close all Czech universities and colleges, plus over 1200 Czech students were sent to concentration camps, and nine students were executed.

Because of this terrible act, November 17 is since 1941 marked as International Students Day by the International Union of Students.

Fifty years after such oppression, in 1989, Czech students organized a demonstration to commemorate the student martyr Jan Opletal and the International Students Day. It started off as an officially-sanctioned march, but turned quickly into demonstration demanding the resignation of the country’s communist government. Students were brutally beaten by riot police. This annoyed the public so much that they went on strike as well, demanding the same thing.

Demonstrations, which were held afterwards, were attended by more and more people. With the growing street protests and with other communist regimes falling around, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia finally announced on November 28 they would step out.

November 17, 1989, started the so called Velvet Revolution. As a result, the first democratic elections since 1946 were held in June 1990 and brought the first completely non-communist government to Czechs and Slovaks in over 40 years.

Charles Bridge is, without any doubt, on the top of every Prague visitor’s must-see list. And I bet you have already seen it. But I believe there are things about the Charles Bridge you don’t know yet – things that will make you love this place even more.

You have probably read somewhere that the construction of the most famous bridge of all across the Vltava River, the Charles Bridge, was commissioned by the Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in 1357. What you may not know is that this was not the first bridge that connected the Prague banks of the Vltava. Another bridge used to stand in the same place – the Judith Bridge, which was the first stone bridge over the river. It was built in 1172, but collapsed after being badly damaged by a flood in 1342.

In charge of the construction was architect Petr Parler whose other works include the St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle.

Another interesting thing about the Charles Bridge is how it was built. The bridge was built from Bohemian sandstone. It is said that egg yolks were mixed into the mortar to strengthen the construction of the bridge – just like adding egg yolks when baking to make the dough hold together better. There is no evidence if this is true or just a legend, however, how else can you explain that the Charles Bridge has survived many floods, most recently in August 2002 when the whole country experienced the worst flood in the past 500 years? The egg yolks might have helped, who knows?

And did you know that Charles Bridge has been the “Charles Bridge” since 1870? For centuries it was actually called the Stone Bridge or the Prague Bridge! Surprised?

The bridge is 515 meters long and 10 meters wide, decorated by a continuous alley of 30 baroque statues and statuary, erected around 1700. However, beginning in 1965, all of the statues have been systematically replaced by replicas and the originals have been exhibited in the Lapidarium of the National Museum. What you see now on the Charles Bridge are thus only copies. But that doesn’t mean they are less impressive!

Can you imagine both tram and car traffic on the Charles Bridge? Well, as bizarre as it sounds, they were allowed there in the past. It was not until 1965 that all traffic has been excluded from the Charles Bridge since then, making it accessible by pedestrians only. That was definitely a good choice!

The best time to visit Charles Bridge is early at the morning or at night when it is not crowded. There are towers standing on both ends of the bridge and both can be climbed for a magnificent view of Prague and the bridge from above. I am recommending it to all my friends!

You can get to the Charles Bridge when taking the tram number 12, 20, 22 or 23, getting off at station Malostranse Namesti. Or you can go there from the other side of the river when taking the green subway (A), station Staromestska. Or just follow the crowds.

Maybe you have noticed young boys in tuxedos and white gloves walking in the streets of Prague at the evening. They are no servants or waiters but participants of dancing lessons. At those dancing lessons, students have to be dressed formal, which means boys in tuxedos, girls in a night dress and court shoes.

In the Czech Republic, knowledge of dancing belongs to the elementary knowledge. Nearly every boy and girl at the age of 15 and 16 signs up for those classes. Although no modern dances are taught there! It is very interesting to see teenagers, who love to wear jeans and a piercing is no rarity, dressed in tuxedos and gowns!

At those dancing lessons, students learn classical dances like waltz, blues, foxtrot, cha-cha-cha, rumba or tango. No one is allowed in informal clothes for tango. Without dress, tuxedo and shoes with high heels there is no tango.

And why so many students enroll? First of all, it has a long tradition in the Czech Republic. Second of all, it is a great social event – students usually go there as a group of friends and afterwards they go together to a bar. And lastly, classical dances come handy at proms. If you can’t dance at prom, you look bad.

Dancing classes take place from September all the way to March. There is usually one lesson per week. Of course there are also dancing lessons for adults.

Autumn can be very romantic. Together with spring it is said to be the most romantic time of the year. Provided that it is warm and sunny, of course! In this case there is nothing better than to have a nice outdoor walk. Then you can fully admire the beauty of changing leaves!

Autumn colors are among the best nature can create. Formerly green leaves turn into brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red. In the Czech Republic, there are four seasons and thus you can admire this brightly colored autumn foliage even in Prague.

Probably the best is to start the walk by the National Theater, crossing the Vltava River there by going over the bridge (called Legii). You will approach a hill called Petrin.

Petrin Hill is 318m (1043 feet) high. To reach the summit and the Observation Tower, also called Little Eiffel Tower, take the funicular up Petrin hill from Ujezd street in Mala Strana. Funicular is part of Prague’s public transportation so one ride costs you 20CZK. And it is worth it. You will have a nice view of Prague Castle on the way up. Alternatively, you can climb the hill. It may take you 30 minutes but I would recommend you to walk the way down and not up since the hill is fairly steep.

When you are up, don’t forget to visit the Little Eiffel Tower offering panoramic views of Prague. On the way down you will be passing through gardens and apple orchard. It is a pleasant walk.

Well, actually, Czech “Halloween” is not celebrated on October 31st but November 2nd. Another difference is that Czech kids do not get dressed in costumes on that particular night. And also nobody is going door-to-door collecting sweets. Yes, I know that now you may thing that I am crazy, because Halloween without costumes and trick-or-treating is no Halloween! But what Czechs celebrate on November 2nd is similar to Halloween and I am going to tell you how!

For Czechs, November 2nd is a day called Commemoration of All the Departed. It means that people celebrate the memory of deceased relatives at this time. Especially on this day they think of their loved ones that are gone forever. Many Czechs make journeys to visit the places where their relatives rest at last – the graveyards. They decorate the graves of their dead, bringing flowers and lighting candles in their memory.

And how is this similar to Halloween? Halloween and what Czechs celebrate on November 2nd have the same roots! I know it seems unbelievable at first but continue reading and you will be wiser.

Halloween originated among the Celts as a pagan harvest festival. Celts used to live not only in England and Ireland, as many think, but in most of Europe (around 500 BC). Celts, according to many evidence, lived in a region that is now the Czech Republic as well.

The Celts associated winter with human death. They believed that on October 31, which is the last day of the bright half of the year and the next day means the beginning of winter, the boundary separating the dead from the living became blurred. This day is therefore, based on Celtic mythology, a day when the spiritual world can make contact with the physical world.

During many years, every country has adjusted this Celtic festival as they liked it. Every culture adopted something else, changed it a bit, and over time even forgot the meaning of it. Czechs took the part saying that dead can speak to the living and vice versa. That is why they go to the cemeteries offering flowers, hoping that the dead will hear their prayer. Americans adopted the Celtic belief that malicious spirits might cross boundaries that night and threaten the community. That is why they dress up into scary costumes and spook other people.

I have, however, no explanation to why the feast in the Czech Republic has been shifted and celebrated on November 2nd. Any idea?

Anyway, on November 2nd, Czech cemeteries are decorated with flowers and glow with candles. It may be interesting for you to see this Czech tradition and feel the unique and picturesque atmosphere. You can visit the biggest graveyard in Prague – Olsany Cemetery (Olsanske hrbitovy in Czech). Take tram 10, 11 or 16 and get off at station Olsanske hrbitovy, or just walk from the subway station Zelivskeho (green line A). Just try not to sink into reminiscence.

As you probably know, on the 28th of October Czechs celebrate a public holiday, which means that many stores and museums in Prague and the Czech Republic will be closed due to this holiday. And what is actually being celebrated on this day? Czechs celebrate Independent Czechoslovak State Proclamation Day. So it is something like 4th of July in the USA.

In 1918, after the First World War, rather on the 28th of October, an independent state of Czechoslovakia was declared, with Tomas Garrigue Masaryk as its first president. Czechoslovakia arose as one of the succession states of Austria-Hungary at the end of the WWI.

Throughout the pre-WWII period, for Czechoslovakia it was time of economic prosperity and democracy. Czechoslovakia became one of the ten richest countries in the world back then since it inherited most of Austria’s industry. This interwar period, which was also a golden age for the culture, is now being called the First Republic.

However, everything nice has to end and so the happy period of the First Republic lasted only 20 years. Czechoslovakia was betrayed by allies in 1938 in the Munich Agreement and so Nazi Germany legally occupied Sudetenland, the Czechoslovakia borders with Germany, and in 1939 the whole country was under protectorship of Hitler’s Germany.

After the Second World War, the Nazi troops were replaced by Soviet troops and so the Czechs had to wait for the restoration of democracy till the end of 1989.

So Czechs celebrate the 28th of October mainly to remember this happy democratic era of the First Republic.

Czechs love 28th to public holidays ;-)

Why? That’s the most popular question all over the world. Everyone wants to know why things are the way the are and why they are not the other way. Well, let’s answer one of those questions starting with why.

The legend says that the Czechs lived happily in the Czech lands after the forefather Czech settled with his people round the Rip (Říp) mountain. Couple years later, the Czechs had a new leader called Krok living at Vysehrad, which is now the Czech National Cemetery. Krok had three daughters. The youngest one, princess Libuse, ruled the Czech people after her father’s death. She was a woman of great beauty and wisdom who possessed prophetic powers.

One day, she had a vision foreseeing the founding of Prague – in Czech Praha. She stood atop Vysehrad hill, overlooking Vltava river, and said: „I see a large city whose fame will touch the stars!“ Immediately, she instructed builders to go in direction of her vision, which was across the river, and build a castle where a man was making a threshold – prah in Czech – and so they named the new city Praha.

You can visit Vysehrad, the original residence of the Czech kings and the legendary seat of Princess Libuse as well as the Vysehrad´s cemetery were the Czech outstanding personalities such as artists, scientists and academics are buried. To name some of them – world famous composers such as B. Smetana or A. Dvorak rest here.

The cemetery is open daily from 8 AM till 7 PM. You just take the subway – red line C and get off at the station Vysehrad and follow the signs, how easy.

Charles Bridge is not just a tourist attraction. It dates back to medieval times and the whole time it has been the main pedestrian route linking the Old Town with Mala Strana, and then onto Prague Castle itself. But there is another thing that the Charles Bridge is famous for. You can make a wish there that will certainly come true if you do it the right way! It is not complicated, don’t worry. I will help you.

An alley of 30 baroque statues and statuaries erected during the late 17th and the early 18th centuries decorates Charles Bridge. These statues and statuarities depicting saints is the key point here. They do not only form a unique connection of artistic styles – Gothic and Baroque. Touching one of them will ensure you good luck, guarantee your return to Prague and you can make a wish as well. Are you keen on which one is it?

You have to find a statue of St. John of Nepomuk. It is the 8th statue on the right hand if you are heading from Old Town Square towards the Prague Castle. If you don’t want to count, it may be easier for you to look for the shiny-like-gold spot on the bottom of one of these statues.

John of Nepomuk was a priest in Prague under King Wenceslas IV (son of Charles IV). The priest received the confessions of the Queen. Unfortunately for John of Nepomuk the King was a very suspicious man. He wanted to know the Queen’s confessions which Nepomuk would not reveal, not even to the King, because it would be against his commitment of confidentiality. Nepomuk was therefore executed by being thrown into the Vltava River from the bridge and drown.

The plaque on the statue of John of Nepomuk has been polished to a shine by countless people having touched it over the centuries. Touching the falling priest on the plaque is supposed to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague. However, don’t get confused by the shiny dog and woman (the Queen)! Not everybody knows the legend and therefore is not sure what to touch! It became shiny only by chance. It doesn’t mean anything special.

Some meters before the actual statue (going back to Old Town Square) on the same side is a small golden cross marking the spot where the saint’s body was thrown into the Vltava river. You have to look for it carefully for the cross is not sticking out – it rests on the bridge. Touch the cross and make a wish! It is said it will come true within a year and one day!

Try to visit the Charles Bridge early at the morning for a less crowded walk, or go at night for a truly romantic stroll, with fairytale views of the Prague skyline, dominated by the magnificent Prague Castle.

St. John of Nepomuk is Czech martyr saint whose tomb is in St. Vitus Catedral on the Prague Castle.

Does it sound crazy to you? A museum for a person that never ever existed? Well, nothing is impossible in Prague! There truly is such a museum, and you should pay it a visit for it’s really worth it! Where else can you go to a museum like this?

The museum is dedicated to Jara Cimrman, a Czech genius from the turn of the 20 century, who is said to be the inventor of almost everything but who has not received well deserved acknowledgement in his times. He almost fell into oblivion if it were not for the happy coincidence of finding his life-works in 1969 on the for-century-not-used loft of a little house in a little village.

So now we know about all of his great inventions such as the dynamite. Unfortunately, when Cimrman went to patent his invention, he met Alfred Nobel just leaving the building! Our genius was only few minutes late for his world-wide fame! And so it went with all his great achievements. Were he only 5 minutes quicker, we would have call the Nobel Prize the Cimrman Prize instead!

Are you confused now? Are you doubtful whether this Jára Cimrman lived or not? If you ask any Czech on the street, even a little child, they would all tell you that Cimrman existed although everyone present knows perfectly well that Jara Cimrman was never “flesh and bones” person, but nobody wants to spoil the fun!

Jara Cimrman is really only legendary person. He was created – over a bottle of vodka, they say – by Ladislav Smoljak, Jiri Sebanek and Oscar winning director Zdenek Sverak (1996 for film Kolja). They created a great myth about the perfect Czech. Immediately, Cimrman gained enormous popularity.

Cimrman was a true genius, he has influenced everything starting from world literature, music, art, politics, up to great inventions and discoveries. Stories about him are really funny especially because everybody knows it’s all made up.

He is really a big thing in the Czech republic. He has a theatre putting plays that the great Czech genius allegedly wrote. Some of the passages from „his“ plays are used as catchphrases. There is even a movie about him.

And guess who won the Greatest Czech of all time – the Czech version of the British nation wide poll in which Winston Churchill won? Among all the great historical figures from this country, the number-one vote-getter was a fictional character, Jara Cimrman! This is the Czech humour! Cimrman has thus beaten the likes of composer Antonin Dvorak, Emperor Charles IV or presidents Tomas Garrigue Masaryk and Vaclav Havel. Regrettably, Cimrman was disqualified on the grounds that he never existed.

You can visit the museum for free every day from 10 a.m. till 7 p.m. The exhibition is situated in the ground floor of the Petrin Tower, known as Little Eiffel tower. It’s location is significant for Cimrman helped to influence the final shape of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Cimrman museum is the last place, where you can see the original shape with straight legs. And if you don’t know who invented CD, it was the Czech fellow Jára Cimrman, of course (“Cimrman’s Disk”). I am sure you will fall in love with this great guy just like all Czechs did!