Inverted horse

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Inverted horse

       The inverted horse, sticking out his tongue, hangs under the dome of Lucerne's passage. Every self-respecting tourist, who knows about the presence of an inverted horse, considers it his duty to take pictures with him. And especially advanced - also tear off the inverted horse language. True, for this it is necessary to show a special wit - the monument still hangs high enough. Nevertheless, the periodically turned horse remains without a tongue.
       But not everything is so simple and funny with this sculpture. In fact, its author laid a deep meaning in the monument, which in time was understood and accepted by many local residents. According to legend, the horse will hang in such a state until "in the lands of the Crown of Czechs the Constitutional monarchy does not triumph."

The monument

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The monument

The head is made of stainless steel, polished to a mirror finish, and a huge number of wires and other electrical equipment that drives the transformation mechanism. The monument, as conceived at the very beginning, is really in a state of permanent work, and only under adverse weather conditions, snowfall or severe frost, is it hidden under a special "wrapper".

The height of the sculpture is 10 m, and it weighs more than 45 tons. Actually, the head is made up of 42 discs that can rotate in different directions. The weight of these disks is 38 tons, everything else is for electrical equipment, in particular, for electrical wires with a total length of more than 1 km. The discs installed in the original, preset position form a portrait of Franz Kafka in three-dimensional space.

Prague aeration station (museum) - a former underground plant for treatment plants in Prague

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Prague aeration station (museum) - a former underground plant for treatment plants in Prague

         In its current form, the sewage system in European cities began to form at the beginning of the XIX century. Before this, the sewage merged directly into the street. In the cities there was a strong stench, and so long could not continue. In 1889, an international competition for the construction of sewerage in Prague was announced.
         The winner was the engineer Lindley. To work on the Prague sewer system Lindley first came as an expert who evaluated the designs of two Czech engineers, and after familiarizing himself with the terrain, he rejected both. For example, they did not sufficiently solve the problem of the system during the flood and how many natural underground tributaries will be allocated. Therefore, he was asked to create his own project, which included the best ideas of the previous ones. The Czech projects were not bad, but Lindley had experience in sewage construction in several large cities. He knew that one could not rely on diluting sewage with river water and that the city should have its treatment facilities. Past projects did not take into account population growth, and Lindley decided to build a system based on the population of a million people. As a result, a huge system of collectors for sewage and rainwater was built, as well as an underground plant for treatment plants.
Prague expanded, the amount of impurities also increased, and by the 1980s, a more powerful cleaning station was built in the city, and Lindleevskaya was restored and converted into a museum.

The City Council of Prague approved the construction of the Golden Egg.

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The City Council of Prague approved the construction of the Golden Egg.

On Tuesday, August 15, the City Council of Prague approved a change in the territorial plan for the construction of the gallery at the end of the Revoluční street (next to the bridge Štefánikův most). This is only the first step in the implementation of the project of architect Peter Malinsky, who received the working title "Golden egg" (Zlaté vejce), although he himself calls it "Golden Sun".

"This is a simple oval construction without windows on six-meter pillars. Finishing the facade of glass, covered from the inside with golden paint. The inner hall is a circular space with 13 partitions. Out of the roof will come decorative points, reminiscent of sunlight. The useful area will be 5 thousand square meters », - the architect described the building.

In January, the authorities of the urban part of Prague 1 offered the magistrate to build the facility so that it could accommodate a series of canvases "The Slavic epic" by Alfons Mucha. Currently, the paintings travel through Asia and to their former place, the Palace of Exhibitions (Veletržní palác), will not return.

However, now the City Hall is inclined to the option of placing the "Slavic epic" on the territory of the former station Těšnov. Nevertheless, Prague 1 still intends to build a "Golden Egg".

"The project costs 184 million kroons. We are ready to finance it ourselves. In the gallery it will be possible to hold temporary exhibitions of various authors, cultural events, or to place something else there, "said the head of the city section Oldřich Lometskiy.

The construction of the gallery is included in the overall plan for revitalizing the Revoluční street, which is actively promoted not only by Prague 1, but also by the public association Aliance Revoluční, which includes owners of local real estate and large entrepreneurs.

Now the authors of the idea have to collect a number of other permits. It is not ruled out that in the end the project will "zabuksuet" or completely be canceled. But if everything goes smoothly, the construction will begin in 2020 and will last 12 months.

Five Czech dishes to be aware of

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Five Czech dishes to be aware of

1. Tatarak (tatarák)

This is a raw ground beef, but everything is not as scary as it looks at first glance. To prepare the tartar, only fresh meat is taken, and in the classical version it is served with a lot of various spices, mustard, ketchup, finely chopped onions and garlic cloves. The meat hill is decorated with a yolk. Before use, the restaurant visitor mixes all this to his own taste and spreads on pieces of toasted bread, called "tops". Often waiters ask the guest if he wants to mix up the tatarak himself or the cook in the kitchen can do it for him according to the classic recipe. In some establishments, Tatra can immediately bring in the involved and already plastered on tops. And there was also an unusual way of serving, when instead of a raw yolk on a plate next to the stuffing there is fried eggs. Each restaurant tries to come up with its own original tataraka, so only this dish can be a real gastronomic tour of Prague.

2. The utopenci

Marinated shpikachki in a natural shell. These sausages are considered the most popular snack in the Czech Republic for beer. Most of all they resemble high-quality sausages with slices of fat in a fragrant island marinade, with the addition of pickled cucumbers, onion rings and garlic. In translation from the Czech "Utopians" means "drowned people" - it is believed that the name is due to the fact that the sausages are heated in a marinade, however, according to legend, the author of the recipe of this snack miller pan Shamanek drowned, repairing the mill wheel, and since This dish got such a grim name.

3. Cheeses (syry)

This is a separate passion of the Czechs. Types of cheese in the Bohemian Sea, but it is necessary to distinguish two types. First, Hermelin, reminiscent of the French Camembert, which is served both in fried in breading, and marinated "Germelin" (Nákladaný hermelín) in olive oil, with the addition of garlic, hot red pepper or chile, pepper of fereoni and onions . Each restaurant has its own recipe for "homemade Germelin" - somewhere it is marinated more strongly, somewhere weaker, and some chefs add so much pepper that only the swallowers of fire can eat this cheese. And the second kind of cheeses, on which it is worth paying attention, is "Olomouc" curds, which are intended for frying - then their specific smell disappears, and the amazing taste is supplemented with black bread and onions.

4. Bramboraki (bramboráky)

Potato pancakes or pancakes in Czech. But they have one important feature - in the batter based on grated potatoes must be added marjoram, due to which they acquire a unique taste. Bramboraki served as a separate dish or as a side dish to meat. And you can try them not only in restaurants, but also at all kinds of city fairs, where they are fried directly under the open sky and washed down with beer, of course.

5. Sekana (sekaná)

Meatloaf, for the preparation of which different kinds of meat are used - from pork and beef to chicken and turkey, with the addition of various spices and fillings: in the sauce all kinds of vegetables, eggs, cheese and even nuts can be found. This roll is so popular in the Czech Republic that you can buy it not only in restaurants, but as a semi-finished product in any supermarket.

Klementinum

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Klementinum

One of the most beautiful libraries in the world is located in the historic building of the Prague Jesuit collegium, built in the baroque style. She began work in 1772 by the decision of Maria Theresa and until today serves the readers. The library's collection includes more than 7 million publications, among which there are rare books, and ancient manuscripts, and rare folios.

In addition to the library, the Clementinum complex includes an astronomical observatory, a mathematical museum and a weather station, which, incidentally, is considered to be the oldest in Central Europe. The library hall is designed in the Baroque style, its main attractions are the frescoes of the painter Joseph Dibel and numerous ancient globes.

Czech, who advised Nobel to give awards to fighters for peace

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Czech, who advised Nobel to give awards to 

fighters for peace

At the end of June, one hundred years have passed since the death of the world's first woman, who became the Nobel Peace Prize winner - Bertha von Sutner, in the nephew of Countess Kinski. Berta von Sutner lived a bright and fruitful life and only a few days did not live up to the outbreak of the First World War. She did not learn that her prediction about a new war, which would be "much worse than all the previous ones," came true, and did not see that the efforts of her whole life had collapsed like a house of cards.

The future pacifist and world-famous writer Berta Sofia Felichita Kinsky was born on June 9, 1843 in the very center of Prague, on the street In the pit. Her father, Count Frans Kinski, died shortly before the birth of his daughter, and his relatives eschewed the mother of the girl, who came from the burgher class and who was passionate about playing roulette. The mother's addiction to visiting the casino led to the fact that Berta Kinski remained a homeless girl, well educated, proficient in many languages ​​and musical talent, but still a loser. After unsuccessful attempts to marry, the girl hires a governess in the family of Viennese barons von Sutter and falls in love with the son of Baron Arthur, who was seven years younger than her. And at the moment when the governess is shamed out of the family with disgrace, she responds to an announcement in the newspaper given by a certain rich gentleman who is looking for a secretary owning foreign languages. This is how the young countess gets acquainted with one of the most important people in her life: the Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, the future founder of the Nobel Prize.

Nobel took her to work as her assistant in 1873. After she broke up with her future husband - baron von Zutner, she went to Paris to Nobel. Nobel did not accidentally chose Bert: she was a perfectly educated woman, she knew many languages, their opinions coincided on many issues, which became clear even during their correspondence. But in Paris she did not stay long. Nobel left for Sweden, and Arthur Zutner wrote to her that he can not live without her. And she immediately returned to Vienna, combined with him a secret marriage, and they fled to the Caucasus together, where Bertha had connections. A few years later, the couple returned to Europe, and Bertha again resumed cooperation with Nobel. And he even financed the pacifist activities of her and her husband. They say that Alfred Nobel was in love with Bertha, but was refused. Anyway, after the return of the Baroness to Europe, her correspondence with the inventor of dynamite continues.

It was Berta Zutner who prompted Nobel that the prizes could be given not only for achievements in the field of exact sciences, but also for the fighters for peace. Indeed, in one of his letters the Swedish industrialist promises the Baroness to establish a prize for achievements in the field of peace consolidation. And it was this award in 1905 that was awarded to Bertha von Sutner herself. She became the first woman to become the winner of this award.

In 1891, she founded the first pacifist organization in Austria - the Austrian Society for Peace, with her participation, the Berne Peace Bureau was created, which coordinated the activities of pacifist groups that were established in many European countries. In 1899, as the first woman not representing a specific government, she took part in the organized by Nicholas II Hague Peace Conference.

Even during her life with her husband in the Caucasus, in Georgian Tiflis, Berta von Sutner first started writing - stories, essays, novels. Many of them were related to the military theme, since during their life in Georgia, Zutner's wife witnessed the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. The most famous book of the Baroness "Down with Arms!" Was published in 1889. She talked about a young woman whose fate was crippled by the European wars of the 1860s. Scenes of military violence shocked the reading public around the world. Leo Tolstoy compared the novel of Bertha Zutner with the book Harriet Beecher Stowe "Uncle Tom's Cabin".

What else was Baroness Zutner known? She advocated for women's rights, above all, for equal opportunities for education for men and women. In the US, it has become the idol of the women's movement. In addition, it is known that she sharply opposed anti-Semitism, in which it supported and Nobel. It is known that the Baroness used her connections with the Russian Emperor Nicholas II to help his friend, the founder of the World Zionist Organization, Theodor Herzl. And she was also a vegetarian.

Czech Republic has developed a project to provide residence permit for investment

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Czech Republic has developed a project to provide residence permit for investment

In July, the Czech government will consider the project of the Ministry of Industry and Trade on granting residence permits for investments. It is proposed to issue a residence permit for up to two years to those who invest 75 million kroons (about three million US dollars) and create at least 20 jobs. At the same time, there is no automatic procedure for obtaining a residence permit for investment. Foreigners must provide the Czech authorities with a business plan that is real and credible. In addition, they will require knowledge of the local market and the conditions for doing business. It is also possible to get a residence permit if there is at least a 30 percent share in the firm that is going to do business in the Czech Republic.

Applications will be considered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the CzechInvest agency. The final decision for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic. If the bill is approved, then it can enter into force already in August. From it there is an indirect benefit - foreigners with residence permit, according to the authors of the initiative, will less take out profits from the Czech Republic and will have an incentive to invest it here. In Germany, to obtain a residence permit you need to invest 1 million euros and create 10 jobs. A similar program exists in France, where the minimum amount of a long-term investment is up to 300 thousand euros, provided that new jobs are created, and the residence permit is issued for a different period depending on the amount of investment.

The Devil's Head

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The Devil's Head

Like any self-respecting country that earns on attracting tourists, the Czech Republic has many attractions. One famous landmark of the Czech Republic is located 37 km from Prague, not far from the small village of Zelizy with a population of less than 500 people. These are two huge, carved in rock formations of sandstone, the head of demons. Or people with faces of demons. The sculptor Václav Leva, who created this architectural complex 170 years ago, said that the heads are a figurative expression of the character of local residents. True, the question remains, why are the goals two, and the complex is called the "Devil's Head" (Čertova hlava)?

Swans on the Vltava ...

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Swans on the Vltava ...

      What to feed the swans?

      Despite the higher announcement, ornithologists do not recommend feeding birds with bread, saying that it is not food for them. It is better to go to a pet store and buy a special food: oats or barley. You can also give them vegetables, preliminarily finely chopped. In regard to the best places for feeding, there are many opinions. Swans are many everywhere, and Charles Bridge in particular. But, one of the options is like the majority. At the Museum of Franz Kafka (Cihelná 2b, 118 00 Praha 1) there is a pleasant descent to the Vltava River. And there you will always meet white swans and, of course, ducks and gulls.

The most romantic places in Prague!

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The most romantic places in Prague!

1. Petrshin Hill, towering above the river valley on the left bank - a favorite place for lovers, many tourists leave Prague and not breathe its romantic spirit. Covered partly by an overgrown park, partly by gardens, Petrshin Hill is a great place to retire and relax amid lush greenery from the hustle and bustle of city attractions and shops.

2. Charles Bridge at dawn - the world famous Prague stone bridge, dating back to the XIV century. During the day the bridge is filled with tourists, traders, street artists, while in the morning haze he is immersed in the most mysterious atmosphere.

3. Prague Castle at night - the residence of Czech kings is on the list of places that must be visited by every tourist. At 6 pm organized tours end, and tourists gradually begin to leave the castle. Some visitors, however, know that the castle area remains open for entry until late in the evening, when in the moonlight you can take a walk through the spacious courtyards.

4. A new light - this winding little street passing along the bottom of a shallow valley behind the Loretto temple near the Prague Castle is one of the most magical places over which time seems to be powerless, while most tourists are never here.

5. Fortress Vyšehrad, the former residence of kings. On this rocky cliff overlooking the Vltava, today there are Neo-Gothic Tsekov, fortifications from the Baroque era, a small park with statues and a famous cemetery where many famous writers, artists and composers of the Czech Republic are buried.

6. Stromovka Park is the oldest and largest park in Prague. Here you can easily spend the whole day walking among tall trees and flowering bushes. Exquisite, peaceful, and at the same time slightly melancholic, the park Stromovka invariably inclines to romance - all generations of Czech poets praised him for it.

7. Hidden gardens - small Country - perhaps one of the most romantic areas of Prague with baroque palaces, squares paved with cobblestones, winding alleys and lush greenery. While the gardens of the Wallenstein Palace with elaborate fences, statues, pavilions and grottos certainly make an impression, the tidy terrace of Vrbbovsk, which can be accessed through an inconspicuous gate, located right next to the Malostranskaya Square, makes its contribution to the spectacular views. Even more romantic, even if less spectacular, are Voyanovy Gardens, the oldest reserved gardens in Prague. This hideaway lurks behind a wall and is well known only to locals who appreciate this rural oasis full of fruit trees and wooden benches.

8. Deer trench, the greatest monument of nature, once a hunting reserve, adjacent to the Prague Castle, for decades has been closed to tourists. Only when he was President Vaclav Havel, the ditch was restored and open to all. In the western (upper) part of it there is a small meadow. It is still a half wild place, in stark contrast to luxury

9. Boat trip on the Vltava River - the river can be the soul of the city, and the Prague Vltava with its bridges and promenades is undoubtedly such a case.

10. Lodge in opera - a visit to the opera is always charming, and Prague offers three possibilities for this event - the majestic National Theater, tiny, like a jewel box. Estates Theater (the premiere of Don Giovanni's opera, which Mozart himself conducted) and the red- Golden State Opera of Prague.

Take care of the water in advance

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Take care of the water in advance

      There are a number of things absolutely necessary during long exploratory walks around the cities. One of these things is water.


       Traders in popular tourist places know perfectly well that thirst is a phenomenon that is strong and unpredictable, and they break prices for drinks, which are two to three times higher than the prices in local supermarkets. In order not to spend three euros per bottle for two sips, in the morning buy a liter of water in the nearest grocery store - you will appreciate this advice during a long walk.

Travel to Prague

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Everyone who steps on the Charles Bridge, is preparing to meet with the legend. Of course, it is one of the most visited places in Prague, one of the symbols of the Czech capital. Over the centuries, he simply could not but draw legends, fairy tales, signs - everything that accompanies such places. And where are the real events, and where are the fruits of human imagination - who knows?

There are legends, under which the historical background is clearly visible. Karl issued a special decree on the collection of chicken eggs, a kind of tax on the construction of the bridge. It is quite reliable, because often when building the foundations of structures designed for a long time, chicken protein was used. This technology was extended throughout medieval Europe, including, and in Russia.

Another legend says that an architect named Peter made a deal with Satan. Like, the bridge will stay forever, and the devil will take away the soul of the one who will first step on the bridge. That's the trouble, the son of the architect wanted to enter the bridge first. Peter managed to grab his son, and instead of a child on the bridge a black cock was released. The deal took place, we still see the bridge to this day.

Someone "was lucky" to meet here with ghosts, to hear the hooting of the owl, which predicts a fire in the Old City. They say the fourth arch has a watermark.

Favorite by the Prague and the tourists is the story of the Beard, who came to Prague from Wallachia. Stonemason, who left us to remember his sandwiches. The Beard Man's face is embedded in a bridge pylon. This head is a kind of indicator of the water level in the Vltava. From the Middle Ages Borodach warned of floods. Prague is checking how much the water is closing the bas-relief. If the water covers the Bearded Man completely - the matter is serious.

There are several places on the bridge where one can make wishes - what are not the legends? In this case, the first one is to visit the statue of Jan Nepomuk. And maybe, on the Charles Bridge you are trapped by his own personal miracle? It is necessary to make sure of this.

Love and Prague

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In Prague on May 1, lovers come to Petrshinsky gardens and kiss under blossoming trees, so that their love also blossoms ... And it is difficult to find a place more beautiful and romantic ...