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The Trojan Horse in Prague

Jul 28, 14:28 Filed under news

Trojan Horse in Prague The Trojan Horse is part of a myth surrounding the Trojan War which took place long long time ago. It was a really long war for nothing else but a woman, of course. And this war that I don’t know much about was put to an end thanks to the Trojan Horse.

The Trojan Horse served as a great trap. The Greeks gave a giant wooden horse to their foes, the Trojans, as a peace offering. But after the Trojans drag the horse inside their city walls and celebrated their “victory”, Greek soldiers sneaked out of the horse’s hollow belly and opened the city gates, allowing their compatriots to pour in and capture the Troy.

And this Trojan Horse is now in Prague, to be more precise on one of Prague’s islands – Cisarsky ostrov. No, it is not the original wooden horse but a replica. Nobody really knows how the Trojan Horse looked like.

Czech sculptor Ivan Nacvalac was working on his Trojan Horse with the help of his sons and friends five months. The wooden horse is made out of 12 cubic meters of pine-wood, is almost 10 meters high, 12 meters long and weights 6,5 tons. And it may be to your surprise that it is still movable.

The Trojan Horse serves as a gallery and entrance is free of charge.

Olympic Games in Prague?

Apr 11, 11:44 Filed under news

Olympic Games in Prague? Maybe! Now it seems more like a wild dream, but the dream is not too far from the truth! Not long time ago, Prague Town Hall approved the proposal that the city seek candidacy as a host of the Summer Olympic Games in 2016! The only thing that separates Prague from being the candidate is sending the applications to the International Olympic Committee. The deadline is in September. The Committee will then announce five contenders, and in 2009 the winner!

How exciting, right? We would have the great opportunity to see all the worlds’ best sportsmen and sportswomen right in the centre of Prague! However, is Prague capable of hosting such a massive event?

There are pros and cons, like with any other issue. The improvement of the country’s prestige and tourism promotion were named as the biggest advantages. But does Prague really need any more advertisement? If you take a walk through the city centre any time of the day, I would call the streets rather crowded. And now imagine how it would look like during the Olympics! Charles Bridge would collapse!!

Well, maybe I see things too dark. I am only worried where to put all those new tourists and fans. Prague is not inflatable!

Supporters say that Olympic Games in Prague would help build new stadiums, boost Czech sport, raise the publicity of Prague and the whole of the Czech Republic, secure revenues and upgrade local infrastructure. Opponents talk usually about financial problems that hosting the Olympics may bring.

The real outcome we will know only if we try and make the bid! This will mean that the Czech capital will compete with cities like Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dilli and Tokio for the honor of hosting the games in 2016!

And if 2016 Olympics are not in Prague, maybe in 2020 they will! Who knows?

Czech Sherwood

Mar 10, 12:12 Filed under news

Prague Main Station Sherwood Forest is probably the best known forest in the world. It is connected with the famous legend of Robin Hood. In this forest, Robin Hood and his fellow men were robbing the rich and feeding the poor, always fighting against injustice and tyranny. How great, right?

Well, there is a place in Prague that is by many called “Sherwood Forest”. It is the park around the Main Train Station in Prague (in Czech Hlavni nadrazi). It is called “Sherwood Forest”, however, not for some second Robin Hood who is defending all needy, but because around this Main Train Station is the biggest concentration of homeless people in Prague.

I don’t know why this place attracts those people so much. It is true that inside this station, which is the biggest and busiest railway station in Prague, there are many benches and corners out of sight. And it is warm here. What is more, not far from the station is a missionary and charity organization Nadeje (in English Hope) which provides services to people in need.

Hlavni nadrazi is not the most dangerous place in Prague, but it isn’t nice place to walk through. You sometimes see those poor people sleeping on the floor, who usually don’t smell very well, and that is not the best first impression of Prague for those who arrive by train. It is a pity, especially because the building is a beautiful example of Art Nouveau style.

It is true, though, that since the end of 2006, a great reconstruction of Hlavni nadrazi and its surroundings for about 650 million CZK has started. This reconstruction should turn this slightly dirty station into a modern and representative building within 3 or 4 years without affecting the traffic.

Homeless people should find their home on a new boat that anchors on Vltava river from January and serves as a permanent home for homeless people in Prague.

The park’s real name is Vrchlickeho sady and is located just few minutes walk from Wenceslas Square.

On the front lines of bird flu battle II

Mar 23, 13:05 Filed under news

Prague Post wrote about battle against bird flu in Czech Republic.

In the Czech Republic, where the bird flu has yet to be found, the government has banned the sale of poultry at outdoor markets and is increasing efforts to detect H5N1 before the virus devastates the country’s poultry industry, as it has in France.

Read more in On the front lines of bird flu battle

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