Section Archive Spotlight
Uherské Hradiště - a fortress of culture
Spotlight this week comes from Uherské Hradiště, a charming picturesque
town in south-east Moravia. Like so many places in this part of the world,
Uherské Hradiště has a rich and complex history. As tour guide Lenka
Kornelová explains, the town was established nearly eight centuries ago in
reaction to the turbulent events of that time and the city actually gets
its name - meaning "Hungarian Fortress" - from this period. More
Olomouc - a treasure trove of historical architecture
With its sloping cobbled streets, beautiful baroque churches and an
abundance of historical architecture, Olomouc is easily one of the most
appealing cities in the Czech Republic outside of Prague. Typically, this
bustling university town in North Moravia owes much of its architectural
splendour to its long and somewhat chequered past. Some claim that this
ancient city dates back as far as Roman times, when it was reputed to have
been founded by Julius Caesar himself. More
St. Martin in the Wall
I had never really been inside or had a proper look around, but I was sure
the small church of St Martin in the Wall would have an interesting story,
if for no other reason than its ancient appearance and peculiar name. Just
off the central Národní třída is a classic Prague alleyway that’s
tucked away from the shopping boulevard, neatly dividing the centuries from
one another, and there you’ll find it. One of the oldest churches in the
city, St Martin in the Wall is one of those relatively few landmarks whose
story can transport you all the way back through the ages to the beginnings
of the Czech metropolis. More
A Prague institution - the famous Café Slavia
Prague’s wealth of traditional coffeehouses is a legacy from the era of
the Austro-Hungarian Empire. But even in today’s hectic time, grabbing a
quick cup on the run is fortunately not the only option for coffee lovers
in the Czech capital. Probably the best-known café in the golden city is
Kavárna Slavia, or Café Slavia. We recently visited this traditional
coffeehouse. More
The small Vršovice château – an old landmark rising slowly from the ruins
Standing atop of a small hill, with a tramline swooping around it,
punctuated by a baroque Roman Catholic church on one side and a modernist
Hussite church on the other, Rangherka, or the small Vršovice château,
contains within its own story the history of the surrounding district as
well. The original building was put up just as the then village of
Vršovice began to grow and develop rapidly. Now, unlike the surrounding
neighbourhood, it is a sad sight. The prominent neo-renaissance building is
in ruins, with reconstruction having dragged on for more than six years,
although the past year has seen the work finally intensify. More
The House of the Black Madonna – home of the only surviving Cubist café in the world
Nestled between busy Wenceslas Square and Prague’s number one tourist
destination, Old Town Square, the House of the Black Madonna houses a small
museum of Cubism as well as the only surviving Cubist café in the world
– the Grand Café Orient, which was renovated between 2002 and 2005. More
St. Procopius Basilica in Třebíč
The Basilica of St. Procopius in Třebíč is one of only 12 places in the
Czech Republic inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. In
this edition of Spotlight we’ll give you a taste of some of what makes
the 12th century structure such a marvel. More
The inside story of the history of Prague’s Pankrác prison
Pankrác is a byword in the Czech Republic for the large prison that stands
a little way outside the centre of Prague. The prison has been the focus
for much of the worst and some of the best that has happened over the last
120 years. Appropriately, some mementos have been stored for posterity. More
Seeing Prague through the eyes of the homeless
In this week’s spotlight, Radio Prague goes on a special tour with a
Pragulic guide to look at a different side of Prague.
More
The Four Corners of the Czech Republic, Pt. IV: Podluží
The border point of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria is the
confluence of two great rivers, the Dyje, from the west, and the Morava,
from which the region of Moravia takes its name. Along the rivers is a
natural reserve of marsh forest and a bastion of Moravian culture called
Podluží, or “under the marshland”. More
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