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SpotlightLandstejn Castle, Czech Canada, & the tunnels beneath the Renaissance town of Slavonice
Southeast Bohemia's Landstejn Castle found south-east of Jindrichuv Hradec,
close to the Czech - Moravian - Austrian border, remains one of the Czech
Republic's most imposing structures. The famous Romanesque ruin,
originally designed to protect Bohemia's frontiers as well as to guard an
ancient trade route to Austria, was built in the early 13th century.
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MagazineMagazine
It's not too late to attend a 16 th century ball! If you are on a diet give
your snack to an elephant - the Prague Zoo has a new sponsorship
programme. And, the Prague 5 district shocks its inhabitants with a
controversial new billboard showing a dog poohing alongside its master -
what's it all about? Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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SpotlightThe Castle of Cesky Sternberk persists through the centuries
The development of stone castles was significant in the thirteenth century
Bohemia - in what is today the Czech Republic. The Castle of Cesky
Sternberk is a classic example: it is a long string of early gothic
buildings and is wonderfully situated in the scenic countryside of Central
Bohemia, southeast of Prague. It is also extremely unusual in that through
the centuries it has been under the almost continuous ownership of the
Sternberk family. The castle embodies eight centuries of Czech history and
for me what brought to life early historical events was the integration of
the Sternberk family's more recent history into the castle's decor.
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SpotlightKrivoklat Castle
With the arrival of spring in the Czech Republic the tourist season is
beginning to slowly re-awaken and with it a favourite Czech pastime -
visiting the country's many castles and chateaux with family and friends.
In that spirit today we visit the royal castle of Krivoklat - a most
remarkable site with a history that stretches back to the 12th century.
Found on a promontory of rolling hills overlooking deep woodlands,
Krivoklat was a favourite of King Wenceslas IV. He used it primarily for
leisure and sport, preferring it to his father's more famous Karlstejn,
located in the same region. Over the centuries Krivoklat then served as
bastion as well as prison; as fans of the esoteric will know even famous
English alchemist Edward Kelley was imprisoned there, breaking his leg in
a botched escape. Certainly, Krivoklat never easily released its own.
Their histories continue to pervade the site going back hundreds of years.
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Czechs in HistoryRabi Castle: some facts and legends surrounding the Czech Republic's most majestic ruins
In this edition we shall not be looking at the life of a single historic
figure but an historic site - south western Bohemia's Rabi Castle - the
country's most majestic surviving ruins, with a past that reaches all the
way back to the 12th century. Anyone who has ever travelled by car or bus
to the town of Susice near the Czech Republic's Sumava region will most
likely remember the sight of Rabi, the castle's broken white masonry sharp
against a blue sky or pelted by rain on an overcast day. A rich past, a
history of survival and dilapidation, the facts and legends of Rabi Castle
shall be looked at today.
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MailboxMailbox
Topic's this week: Cooking programmes. Castles and Chateaux. Salaries.
Rent. Foreigners in football clubs, listener looking for free Czech
lessons in the UK. Listeners quoted: "Bobby" from Atlanta,
William Allan, Ken Skrbin, Tomas Fields, Nii Nortey Akiwumi, listener from
Italy.
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Current AffairsCastles could close their doors early this season due to lack of funds
For many tourists, visiting a castle or chateau is an essential part of a
trip to the Czech Republic. But some visitors may be disappointed this
year, as castle wardens around the country are warning that they might
have to close their doors earlier than usual. The reason: a lack of money.
On Tuesday castle wardens from around the country handed in a petition to
the Senate, drawing attention to their plight. I discussed the issue with
Jana Sedlackova, a conservationist at the popular Konopiste castle near
Prague.
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