Prague: Prague Calendar of Events

PRAGUE AUTUMN FESTIVAL
The Prague Autumn Festival ends the string of major European summer festivals in the same way that the Prague Spring Festival opened up the continent-wide artistic frenty five months earlier. Although not as long established, Prague Autumn has, since 1991, rapidly gained a reputation for attracting the world?s great artists and ensembles.

January 
DAYS OF EUROPEAN FILM
Festival of contemporary European films, especially from EU countries

February
SLOVAK THEATRE IN PRAGUE
Festival of Slovak theatres

March
FEBIOFEST
International festival of film, television programmes and video.

ONE WORLD FILM FESTIVAL

International film festival - documentary films on human rights

April
PRAGUE WRITER’S FESTIVAL
International meeting of writers

May
BOOK WORLD PRAGUE
International book trade fair
PRAGUE SPRING
International music festival
KHAMORO
International festival of gipsy culture 
INTERNATIONAL CHOIR FESTIVAL OF FOLK SONGS

May - June
WORLD FESTIVAL OF PUPPET ART

June
MUSICA ECUMENICA
MUSICA SACRA PRAGA

Festival of sacral music

June - July
SUMMER OLD MUSIC FESTIVITIES
International festival
DANCE PRAGUE
International festival of contemporary dance art and motion theatre

July - August
ORGAN SUMMER
International festival of organ concerts

August - September
VERDI FESTIVAL
Traditional festival of Verdi operas

September - October
PRAGUE AUTUMN
International music festival

October
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
FOUR + FOUR DAYS IN MOTION

International festival of motion theatre

November
PRAGUE GERMAN-LANGUAGE THEATRE FESTIVAL
Festival of theatre ensembles from Austria, Germany and Switzerland

December
BOHUSLAV MARTINU FESTIVAL

Prague: Passport and visa requirements for the Czech Republic

Passport/Visa

Passport Required?
British Yes
Australian Yes
Canadian Yes
USA Yes
Other EU *
Visa Required?
British No
Australian No **
Canadian No **
USA No **
Other EU No
Return Ticket Required?
British No
Australian No
Canadian No
USA No
Other EU No

Note
Minors are allowed to travel on their parents’ passports up until aged 15 years.

(a) EU nationals, and those who do not require visas, whose stay will exceed 30 days, must register with the Alien and Border Police within 30 days of arrival. All other nationals must register with the Alien and Border Police within three days of arrival, regardless of intended length of stay. Generally, accommodation providers will arrange this for their guests. (b) British Overseas Citizens require visas as do holders of British Travel Documents (blue) under the 1951 Geneva Convention, and holders of British Travel Documents (brown) for tourism and business trips, and must apply in person.

Passports
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
(a) * EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.
Note: EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.

Visas
Not required by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above for the following durations:
(a) nationals of EU countries who may stay for an unlimited period;
(b) ** nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA for stays of up to 90 days.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Czech Foreign Ministry: www.czechembassy.org

Prague: Theaters in Prague, a Cultural Center of Eastern Europe

Archa Theatre
Archa Theatre strives to be a place open to various and unexpected encounters, examiniong the possibilities of art.
Na Porici 26, Prague 1

Svandovo Divadlo
Svandovo Theatre is the modern European culture centre of performing arts, with English subtitles for many performances
Stefanikova 57 , Prague 5

A Studio Rubin
Theatre, music club, and performing arts venue in Mala Strana.
Malostranske nam. 9, Prague 1

Alfred ve dvore Theatre
Alfred ve dvore (Alfred in the Courtyard), the stage for new theatre
Frantiska Krizka 36, Prague 7

Ballet Prague Junior
BPJ is a chamber company consisting of 14-16 students of DCP at the doorstep of their dancing careers.
U Vetrniku 3, Prague 6

Broadway Theatre
In front of the theatre is situated balcony with 136 places for sitting ( 7 rows ).
Na Prikope 31, Prague 1

Cafe Theatre Cerna Labut
Cafe, Gallery, and Theatre located on Na Porici, next to the department store Bila Labut.
Na Porici 25, Prague 1

Children’s Opera Prague
Tynska 7, Prague 1

Deja Donne
Lenka Flory (Czech Republic) and Simone Sandroni (Italy) founded the international, contemporary dance theatre group DEJA DONNE in Prague
Celetna 17, Prague 1

DISPRO spol. s r.o.
Narodni 28, Prague 1

Divadlo Bez Zabran
Divadlo Bez zᢲan (Theatre Without Constraints) has been established as a civic society in 2001
Sekaninova 34 , Prague 2

Divadlo Komedie
Since 2002, Prague?s Komedie Theatre has been home to the Prague.
Jungmannova 1, Prague 1

Divadlo Na Fidlovacce
Czech language theatre, known for its musical productions.
Kresomyslova 625, Prague 4

Divadlo Rokoko
Theatre in Prague 1
Vaclavske namesti 38 - pasáž Rokoko, Praha 1 -

Divadlo v Dlouhe
Divadlo v Dlouhé ©s a repertoire theatre with a permanent group of actors established in 1996
Dlouha 39, Prague 1

Divaldo Na Pradle
Theatre, Gallery & Cafe.Divaldo Na Pradle is host to fringe festival acts, expatriate theatre.
Besedn���, Prague 1

Don Giovanni Marionette Opera
“DON GIOVANNI” marionette opera - Located at the Theatre On the King Road, Karlova 12, Prague 1.
Karlova 12, Prague 1

Estates Theatre
The Theatre of the Estates (Stavovské ¤ivadlo) is one of the most beautiful historic theatres in Europe.
Ostrovni 1, Prague 1

Forman Brothers Theatre
The theatre of Forman brothers… is a living community without a permanent stage and a complete ensemble.
Wuchterlova 584/16 , Prague 6

Gaudeamus
Gaudeamus is Prague folklore group whose members are students and graduates of prague universities.
namesti Jir��� z Lobkovic, Prague 3Goya Music Hall
Recent shows include Les Miserables and Miss Saigon.
Holesovice, Prague 7

Hudebni Divadlo Karlin
Musical and opera theatre. Highly skilled performers showing the best of the musical world.
5. Kvetna 65, Prague 4

Kastan
Theatre and concert hall in Prague 6. Nightly concerts, plays, children’s fairy tales and more.
Belohorska 150 , Prague 6

Kolowrat Theare
Ovocny trh 6, Prague 1

Krizik Fountain
Vystaviste area, Prague 7

Lavka Theatre
Lá¶«a’s Terraces and Theatre are the most favourite places to enjoy the view of Prague’s panorama.
Novotneho lavka 1, Prague 1
Phone: 420 221 082 288

Magic Palace
Belunska 1945, Prague 9

Minor Theater
The Minor Theatre has been for years linked mainly with puppet and children theatre.
Vodickova 6, Prague 1

Nablizko Theatre
Theatre and performing arts venue in Prague 1 - Kampa. Home to a wide range of performances.
Nosticova 2a , Prague 1 - Kampa

National Marionette Theatre
OPERA For The Whole Family ! Original Czech MARIONETTES In The Opera Of Operas! More Than 3000 Performances Since
Zatecka 1, Prague 1

National Theatre
The historical building of the National Theatre in Prague is the embodiment of the will of the Czech nation for national independence.
Ostrovni 1, Prague 1

Pohybove divadlo 22 Praha
The ensemble was established in 1993 at the Na Zᢲadl���heatre.
Frantiska Kadlece 8, Prague 8

Ponec Theatre
Ponec Theatre is run by the Tanec Praha Association.
Husitska 24a/899, Prague 3

Prague Original Music Theatre
Theatre may pride on its originality expressing in several ways: it performs its own chamber music.
Podle Lomu 27, Prague 5

Roxy Theatre
Dlouha 33, Prague 1

Salesianske divadlo
Independent theatre located in Prague 8.
Kobyliske nam. 1, Prague 8

State Opera Prague
Legerova 75, Prague 1

Studio Matous
The ensemble ARS CAMERALIS is famous in its double performance activity, including 13th to 15th century music.
Veltezska 136, Zdiby

Tanec Praha
Dance has unlimited possibilities to destroy not only language boundaries, but also our spiritual and emotional limits and restrictions
Husitska 24A, Prague 3

Teatr novogo fronta
Novovysocanská ¹, Prague 9

The Bear Educational Theatre
The Bear Educational Theatre was started by David Fisher in 1994.
Frantiska Krizka 1, Prague 7

Theatre of Spejbl and Hurvinek
The Spejbl and Hurv���k Theatre was established by prof. Josef Skupa ( 1892-1957) in Pilsen, western Bohemia in 1930.
Dejvicka street 38, Prague 6 - Dejvice

Theatre on the Balustrade
History of the Theatre on the Balustrade - The theatre was founded in 1958. Its founders - Helena PhilipovᬠIvan Vys
Anenske namesti 5, Prague 1

Prague: Good Restaurants in Prague: Yum!

El Centro,  Praha 1, tel. +42 0257 533 343, bar-elcentro@volny.cz, [www.elcentro.cz].
Open every day 12PM-12AM (Last orders at 11PM).
An excellent little restaurant located near the Charles Bridge, but tucked behind a couple of other buildings. It’s a typical Spanish restaurant, has a very friendly atmosphere, good prices and isn’t crowded.

‘U Jednoho Pokoje, is Czech for ‘At the one room’ which is a summary of what this restaurant is. The restaurant was started by a French chef in a semi-abandoned apartment in the vicinity of I.P. Pavlova. With a little painting, scrubbing and mopping the room was fixed up. All of the furnishing for the restaurant (tables, chairs, etc.) are items that have been salvaged and restored and friends and supporters of U Jednoho Pokoje lent their art for the walls. Dinner is a set menu by appointment only and everything is done by the owner himself from greeting guests to cooking, pouring wine and serving the meal. No beer is available. The food is superb

Radost FX Belehradská ±20, Praha 2, +42 0603 193 711, vk@radostfx.cz [7]. One of the best restaurants in town. Near the IP Pavlova stop on the Red Metro line or get the 22/23 tram. Great vegetarian food, great prices. Radost is also a lounge and has a club in the basement, making it a favorite with expats.

Bohemia Bagel, Ujezd 16, 118 00 Praha 1
Opening hours: Monday - Friday: 7:00 - 24:00, Saturday - Sunday and Holidays: 8:00 - 24:00
There is broadest choices of familiar and eclectic bagel sandwiches that you will ever find, plus all of 10 types of soup and 6 types of desserts are home-made and contain no additives, preservatives or unnatural ingredients. This means that everything is fresh and tasty!

Jerusalem
Brehova 5, 110 00 Prague 1 tel./fax: +420/2/2481 2001
Jeruzalem Restaurant is an exclusive kosher L’mehadrin Dairy Restaurant in the old Jewish quarter of Prague, 100 m. from the Old-New Synagogue.
In the menu you can find a variety of dishes, breakfast, toasts, salads, soups, omelets, pies, pancakes, Italian food, fish, Israeli food, drinks and pastries!!
Opening hours: 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Prague: Casinos in Prague; Be Careful with your Money!

Banco Casino
The casino features fifteen slots and nine table games. Opens daily 24 hours.
Address
Na Pr���pe 27
Prague, Praha, hlavn���e?to
Ph. - +420 221 967 380

Casino Bohemia
The 10,300 square foot casino has fifteen slots and twenty-one table games. Opens daily 5pm-5am.
Address: Prague Congress Centre
Palace of Culture, Tr. 5
Kvetna 65
Prague, Praha, hlavn���e?to 140 00
Ph.: +420 241 412 587
FAX - +420 261 222 076

Casino de Prague Le Hilton
Opens daily 2pm-6am. Casino features twenty slots and fourteen table games.
Address: Pobrezni 1
Prague, Praha, hlavn���e?to 186 00
Ph.: General Information - +420 224 810 988
FAX - +420 224 810 522

Casino Happy Day
The casino features 100 slots and five table games and is open daily 24 hours.
Address
Vaclavske Namesti 35
Prague, Praha, hlavn���e?to
Ph. - +420 224 233 506
FAX - +420 224 232 485

Casino Palais Savarin
The casino features eight slots and thirteen table games and is open daily 1pm-4am.
Address: Na Prikope 10
Prague, Praha, hlavn���e?to 110 00
Czech Republic
Ph. - +420 224 221 636
FAX - +420 224 221 648

Millennium Casino
The 7,000 square foot casino features thirty slots and sixteen table games. Open 3pm-4am (Fri and Sat until 5am).
Address
V Celnici 10
Prague, Praha, hlavn���e?to 117 21
Ph. - +420 221 033 401
FAX - +420 221 033 404

Panorama Hotel VIP Club Casino
The casino features six slots and five table games. Open daily 8pm-5am.
Address: Milevska 7
Prague, Praha, hlavn���e?to 140 00
Czech Republic
Ph. - +420 261 164 731
FAX - +420 261 164 141

Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen’s Club and Casino
The casino features eight table games. Open daily 6pm-4am.
Address: U Plovarny 8
Prague, Praha, hlavn���e?to 11000
Czech Republic
Ph. - +420 257 312 575
FAX - +420 257 312 576

Prague: Prague Statistics; Big City

People

Czech Republic

Population:

10,235,455 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 755,098/female 714,703)
15-64 years: 71.2% (male 3,656,021/female 3,629,036)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 576,264/female 904,333) (2006 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.3 years
male: 37.5 years
female: 41.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.06% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:

9.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:

10.59 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.22 years
male: 72.94 years
female: 79.69 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.21 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:

Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Languages:

Czech

Literacy:

definition: NA
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Prague: Bars and Clubs in Prague

Al Capone’s Bartolomejská 3,
Prague1
Tel.: 269 9835
Arkadia Na príkope 22,
Prague1
Reggae club has a friendly crowd and plays loud music.
Banana Bar Stupartská 9,
Prague1
Tel.: 232 4801
Very entertaining and often wild atmosphere on any night of the week.
Bugsy’s Bar Kostecná 10,
Prague1
Tel.: 232 9943
Becher Club Masarykovo nábr. 38,
Prague1
Tel.: 293 008
This informal bar near the National Theater.
Caffrey’s Staromestské nám. 10,
Prague1
The traditional Irish breakfast, accompanied by a Guinness.
Chelsea’s Karlova 30,
Prague1
Tel.: 2421 8455
This expat bar fills up with Irish, British German, Australian and American drinkers of all ages.
Fromin Václavské nám. 21,
Prague1
Tel.: 2423 23139
This fashionable restaurant, café and nightclub.
Gulu Gulu Betlémske nám. 8,
Prague1
KLUB ZA STAROU PRAHOU Mostecka 1 Praha 1
Prague1
Tel: 530 506
INTIMNI CLUB Kremyslova 5 Praha 4
Tel: 436 916
Adria hotel, Triton Václavské nám. 26 ,Praha
Tel: 21081218
Castello Americká 29 , Praha2
Tel:258319
David Trzište 21/611 Praha 1 - Mala Strana
Tel: 53 93 25
Agharta Jazz Centrum Praha 5, Krakovská 5
Tel:+420 2 2221 1275
Jazz klub “U Staré Paní” Praha 1, Michalská 9
Tel: +420 2 26 49 20
Music Club “U Malého Glena” Praha 1, Karmelitská 23
Tel: +420 2 5358115
Metropolitan Jazz Club Praha 1, Jungmannova 14
Tel: +420 2 24216025
Jazz Club Zelezná Praha 1, Zelezná 16
Tel:+420 2 24212541

Prague: Introduction to the main attractions of Prague

Once a small place at a point where the Vltava river could be forded, where the salt and amber trade routes later converged, the little market grew into a hub of the European goods trade and became capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Charles IV in the 14th century.

The citizens could afford to commission leading architects and artists. This is how Prague became one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with its Baroque-style buildings, churches and its castle, which towers over the city. The city has been celebrated by great musicians, painters and writers. In 1784, what had been five independent districts merged into a unique complex of buildings from all periods and styles. In 1992, UNESCO recognized the historic center of the city as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Old Town Ring (Staromestské námestí) Those in the know say that Prague is at its loveliest in the early morning, when its whole expanse stretches out peacefully before your eyes: one of the most beautiful marketplaces in Europe, the picturesque Old Town Ring with the Town Hall complex, the Teyn Church, its merchant and aristocratic houses. From ten o’clock onwards, tourists gather every hour, on the hour, in front of the Town Hall, waiting for the Apostle Carillon of the legendary Astronomical Clock. It is much more than a mere clock; it also shows summer time and the position of the signs of the zodiac and it is a memento mori, a true masterpiece which was completed at the end of the 15th century. Today, it seems natural for Czech reformer Jan Hus to have pride of place in the center of the square. However, the Hapsburgs did not allow the monument to be erected until 1915, 500 years after his martyr’s death. Castle (Prazsky Hrad) Since it was begun in the 9th century, the Castle (Hradcany) has been the heart of Prague, the center of its spiritual and secular life and the official residence of its rulers, now that of the President of the Czech Republic. The palace and religious buildings are grouped on a magnificent site. The approach to the Castle offers an incomparable view of Prague. The Gothic Cathedral of St. Vitus is at the center of the site. The Cathedral combines elements of the Renaissance and Baroque styles, as it took almost six centuries to build, with work finally being completed in 1929. Today,

St. George’s Monastery, which was consecrated in 973 and reconstructed in 1976, is part of the National Gallery. Although the claim that alchemists once attempted to increase the wealth of Rudolf II here is a myth, the especially picturesque Golden Lane has a magical attraction for tourists. In fact, Franz Kafka did actually live here Hours: Building daily in summer 9 am-5 pm, and in winter until 4 pm.

Jewish Ghetto (Zidovské mesto) Only six synagogues, the Jewish Town Hall in the renaissance style and the old Jewish cemetery still remain of the ‘Schtetl’ or Jewish ghetto. Over 12,000 gravestones are crowded closely together, with the bodies buried one on top of the other, as this was the final resting place for all Jews in Prague until 1787. The most famous of these belongs to Rabbi Löw, the legendary creator of the golem. The Jews were not released from their isolation in the ghetto until 1849, on the command of Emperor Franz Joseph I, who granted them civil rights and permission to settle in other districts as well. The oldest religious building is the early Gothic ?Old New Synagogue”, built in 1270-1290 and a place where the faithful still gather today. Today, the Pinkas Synagogue is a memorial to the Jewish victims of National Socialism. The names of 77,297 victims from Bohemia and Moravia are listed on its walls.

Charles Bridge

(Karluv most) Until 1836, the second-oldest stone bridge in Europe constituted the only route across the River Vltava and, as such, was of great strategic importance. It also played a key part in the life of the town as a market, a court and the scene of the coronation procession. Completed in the early 15th century after a period of construction lasting more than 100 years, its 16 arches supported on piles span the river, a distance of more than 1,700 feet. The bridge has an impressive width of 33 feet, enough to accommodate four coaches. In 1683, the citizens of Prague began to decorate the bridge railings with bronze statues and groups of figures of saints. St. John of Nepomuk, which was cast by Matthias Rauchmüller in Nuremberg in 1683, is both the oldest and the most popular figure, because the saint was thrown to his death from this bridge by Wenceslas IV in 1393. The Old Town Bridge Tower, with its sculptures, is an outstanding work of architecture.

“Small Side” Ring (Malostranské nám.) The Malá strana ring, which is linked to the Old Town by the Charles Bridge, has been the center of the Malá strana since the city was founded back in 1257. The north and east sides of the square are lined with magnificent aristocratic houses that, together with the Church of St. Nicholas, divide the open area into two parts. With its magnificent 246-foot cupola, the church was built by the famous Baroque architect Dietzenhofer, between 1703-1711 and 1737-1752. Despite their classical façades, Gothic merchant houses have been preserved only on the south side of the Ring. Some of the cellar vaults are now home to cozy little bars. New Town Hall (Novomestská radnice) Its distinctive tower is what makes the Town Hall (now a cultural center) so unmistakable - it is the famous face of Charles Square, the largest open space in Prague, at almost 20 acres. The original building, erected after 1348, already had two wings housing the offices and the prison. It was extended to a four-winged complex with an arched courtyard in the early 15th century, and the tower followed 40 years later. The building took on its current form in 1559, when it was remodeled during the Renaissance. In 1419, the place went down in history as a result of Prague’s first defenestration, when supporters of the reformer Jan Hus, who had been publicly burned four years previously, threw the town councillors out of the windows, starting the Hussite Wars. Karlovo nám. 23 Praha 2

Teyn Church (Tynsky chrám) The view of the Old Town of Prague is dominated by what was once the main church of the Hussites, with its two 262-foot towers. It was built on Roman and early Gothic foundations in several construction phases between 1339 and 1511. The splendid portal on the north side, with the relief scenes of Christ’s suffering in the tympanum, is believed to originate from the stonemason’s lodge of Peter Parler. Following a fire in 1679, the vault of the main nave had to be replaced in the early Baroque style. A large part of the interior decoration is also Baroque, while the chancel is still Gothic. The right nave shelters a Madonna created in about 1400. The marble plate behind a Gothic chancel conceals the grave of Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who researched the basis of the calculations for the paths of the planets in around 1600 with Johannes Kepler. Staromestské nám. Praha 1 Wenceslas Square (Václavské námestí) The 2,460-foot long and 197-foot wide area laid in 1348 under Charles IV was once a horse market. It was only in 1848 that the market was named after St. Wenceslas, whose equestrian monument stands at the upper end of the square, in front of the Neo-Renaissance palace of the National Museum, with its treasure trove of historic paintings. Surrounded by 19th- and 20th-century buildings, including hotels such as the famous “Evropa”, shops and cinemas, Wenceslas Square has been a boulevard long favored by those out for a stroll. Its lower end forms the “Golden Crossroads” with Prague’s two main shopping streets, Národní trida and Na prikope. Wenceslas Square has been at the center of good and bad times: in 1918, the citizens of Prague celebrated the birth of an independent Czechoslovakia here; 50 years later there were demonstrations against the invading Warsaw Pact forces. This is commemorated by a memorial to the victims of Communist rule.

Author: Claudia FritzscheBerlitz Publishing/Apa Publications GmbH & Co Verlag KG, Singapore

Branch, Singapore.