In the Czech Republic, many bunkers were built during the Interwar Period and Communist rule. today, these once state-of-the-art fortifications lay abandoned. In response, the Ministry of Defense in the Czech Republic has decided to sell the bunkers to private investors.
Daliborka Tower and the Legend of Dalibor
Descend into the legend of the Daliborka Tower and its namesake, Dalibor of Kozojedy, where he was imprisoned. You will learn about Dalibor and his violin, the structure of the tower, and what it is used for today. For example, you鈥檒l learn how his placement inside the tower began due to a dispute between him and a Czech noble due to the treatment of peasant serfs.
Jan 闯补苍蝉办媒: Blood Types
Radio Revolution
Radio and its revolutionary effect were felt in Czechoslovakia just as it was in the rest of the world. It began with the first broadcasts, occurring before World War I, into the first Czech-produced program in late 1919. Of course, as radio technology progressed and advanced, its use as a medium for propaganda grew more and more robust. Despite its use in propaganda, radio also served as a tool to disseminate important information about the nation and the world at-large.
Jan 碍辞迟臎谤补: Founder of Modern Czech Architecture
Jan 碍辞迟臎谤补 was an important figure in Czech architecture for his use of modern elements in his works, earning him the title of 鈥渇ounder of modern Czech architecture.鈥 碍辞迟臎谤补鈥檚 career began with the renovation of 膶erven媒 Hr谩dek, using both neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau elements outside and inside, respectively. Despite being controversial in terms of culture and architectural style, 碍辞迟臎谤补鈥檚 life and career continued in success, culminating in the creation of his 1913 鈥渕asterpiece鈥 the Museum of Eastern Bohemia. Throughout his life, Jan 碍辞迟臎谤补 continued to create and build works of great architecture.
Language of the Flowers
Karlovy Vary Film Festival
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, or KVIFF, hosts about 200 films from around the world and is the oldest film festival. Located inKarlovy Very, Czech Republic, the film festival is held annually in July and is the most prestigious festival in Central and Eastern Europe, boasting a popular feature film competition.
The Legend of Lech, Cech, and Rus
The legend of the three brothers Lech, Cech, and Rus, who became the ancestors of the Polish, Czech, and Rus, explains how these cultures were created. The legend involves the brothers being the son of prince Pan and leaving the Pannonia empire. Some accounts don鈥檛 involve Rus, rather just Lech and Cech, who are the sons of Jan and not Pan.
LGBTQ+ Marriage In The Czech Republic and Slovakia
The former communist-controlled Czech Republic is now one of the most progressive countries regarding LGBTQ+ (same-sex or transgender) rights, but inequality remains. While civil unions are now recognized, same-sex marriage is illegal and is under review as of June 2023. However, the LGBTQ+ in Slovakia do not even have civil unions, let alone same-sex marriage, though there is the law of a 鈥渃lose person,鈥 which is someone who is close to an individual. Just as in the Czech Republic, Slovakians are vying for same-sex marriage to be legalized.
Meda Mladkova
Meda Mladkova was a patron of the arts who helped support Czech artists stuck behind the Iron Curtain. She trained to be a dancer but decided to leave Czechoslovakia after witnessing how terribly the Germans who remained in the country were treated at the end of the Second World War. Even when she met the Ministers of Culture and Education and the Director of the Nationa Gallery, she truthfully and successfully stood up for artistic freedom.
Jaroslava Brychtova (18 July 1924 鈥 8 April 2020)
Jaroslava 叠谤测肠丑迟辞惫谩 and Stanislav 尝颈产别苍蝉办媒鈥檚 partnership of almost 50 years birthed some of the defining sculptural and architectural installations of the 20th century. They used their art as a form of political resistance and were inspired by early 20th-century Czech Cubism and metaphysical philosophy to work with abstraction.
Czech Beer : A Brief History
From the Brevnov Monastery to the modern-day Pilsner, the Czech people have been enjoying beer for over a thousand years. Known as the beer of tradition, Czech beer is ingrained into history itself. When beermaking was banned. the Brenov Monastery, as the first-ever Bohemian brewery, was exempt. Initially, after the ban on brewing ended, only noble families or homeowners were allowed to brew beer. It was in 1842 that the famous Pilsner was created.
Eliska Junkova: Racing into History
Eli拧ka 闯耻苍办辞惫谩 is the first woman to win the Grand Prix, in 1927. Even before, 闯耻苍办辞惫谩 was 鈥淨ueen of the Steering Wheel,鈥 a well-earned title that she worked towards since 1922. Her dedication to racing began with her dedication to her husband, Vincenc 鈥溎尡鸩悦焘 Junek, whom she met at her job at the Prague Credit Bank.
Palach Week
Jan Palach was a Charles University student who protested the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Warsaw Pact by self-immolation. His protest inspired further protests, including a hunger strike in Wenceslas Square. These protests further inspired resistance throughout the rest of Prague, and then Europe.
David Cerny: Lilit Sculpture
For over a year, David Cerny and his associates have toiled away at the completion of the recently completed "Lilit" sculpture, placed in the Karlin District of Prague. Cerny himself began his artistic career at the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague, continuing to build his knowledge and network with several artist residencies in Switzerland and the United States. His entry into fame began with infamy as he painted a Soviet tank monument pink as an act of "civil disobedience." Soon after did his career take off, eventually making him an impactful cultural installation in Czech society.
Magic on Charles Bridge
Traditional soups
Vaclav Havel
Vaclav Havel, Czechoslovakia鈥檚 first president, also lived as an activist, poet, and playwright. Communist rule made Havel's life hard, including his education, but he prevailed, having attended university. Even into his adulthood, Havel faced political strife, having his plays banned from viewing and being harassed by the government due to his activism. Was the trouble worth it for the first post-Communism president?
Slovak Flag
White, red, and blue make up the Pan-Slavic Tricolor, chosen based on the flag of Russia since that nation, during the late 17th century, represented Slavic independence and power. In fact, their flag was initially too similar to the Russian flag for them to keep it that way, thus the decision to ultimately add the heraldic symbol was made on September 1, 1992.
Samo and his Empire (631 鈥 658)
In the mid-seventh century, the "first Slavic State" came into existence, ruled by Samo, thus named Samo's Empire. It began with Samo as a Frankish merchant who aided the Slavs in their revolt against the ruling Avars. Samo was such a major contributor to the effort that he was chosen as the leader. The rest is history...