Compact archive April 30, 2007

Many events are planned for 1st of May, the Labour Day, in Prague. A big concert will take place in Letna Plateau. You can listen to many famous Czech music bands, watch film projections and theatre performances, etc. The programme starts at 11:00. Letna Plateau will be also a meeting place for anti-communists.

Several political parties organize celebrations of the 1st May. The Communists invite their supporters and friends to the Prague Exhibition Ground in the morning, Social Democrats to the same place in the afternoon. Civil Democrats will meet near the funicular railway in Petrin.

On the 1st and 2nd May you can also take part in the student festival Majales. The main programme in Prague takes place in Prague Exhibition Ground. As 1st of May is also connected with love in the Czech Republic, you can visit a traditional meeting place of lovers on Petrin Hill near the statue of Karel Hynek Macha.

The police are also preparing for an expected march of the nationalists through the city. Their way may be crossed by the extremists. The police will be in position till late night.

Jiri Kolbaba is a world famous photographer who has visited more than 120 countries all around the world. His photographs are known for the richness and the contrast of colours, as well as details of geological structure of the Earth and human faces.

His new exhibition called The World Withing the Reach is now held in Prague’s International Airport Ruzyne on the occasion of 70th anniversary of the airport.

Visitors can see the exhibition in the departure and arrival halls of Terminals Sever I and Sever II, in the passage way between the two terminals and in the transit areas. The exhibition containing more than 200 photographs from 6 continents will be at the airport until 26th August 2007. If you want to know more about Jiri Kolbaba and his work, visit his web pages www.theworld.cz.

Last weekend Prague hosted very important Freemasons from all over the world. More than 20 Masters of Grand Lodge met in Prague to discuss several topics, such as how to cooperate with new lodges being founded in Eastern Europe or whether to be more open to the public.

In the Czech Republic there is the Grand Lodge of the Czech Republic approved by the United Grand Lodge of England and many others Grand Lodges all around the world. According to Mlada Fronta DNES there is about 600 Freemasons in the Czech Republic. Famous Freemasons were ex-president Edvard Benes, Jan Masaryk, Alfons Mucha or Karel and Josef Capek.

According to the ex-Master of the Grand Lodge of the Czech Republic, Petr Jirounek, Freemasons can be characterized as knights in the modern times or gentlemen. The Freemasonry is still surrounded by many mysteries.

One of the popular Czech traditions is The Burning of the Witches Night on the 30th April when people make bonfires and burn witches made from straw and old cloth to end the long winter that the witches keep around. There are many bonfires throughout the country, accompanied with roasting sausages and singing favourite songs.

There are several places where to go in Prague and join this tradition. One of the places is the sport and recreation area Zlute Lazne. The programme is prepared from 18:00 to 22:00, there is no entrance fee. You can get there from metro station Karlovo namesti (exit to Palackeho namesti) by trams no. 3, 16, 17, 21, 52, stop Dvorce.

Another place where you can enjoy the atmosphere with many witches around (there will be a competition for Miss Witch) is the park Ladronka. You can ‘improve’ yourself in the special Witch Beauty Parlour at the venue. You can get there from Hradcanska metro station by tram no. 25, stop Vypich.

Witches will also meet in the centre of Prague. Their meeting is in Malostranske namesti at 19:30. They will walk with Chinese lanterns along Mostecka street, Charles Bridge, Kampa to Sovovy mlyny near the Vltava River.

The National Gallery in Prague will be open this Wednesday between 15:00 and 20:00 for free. Visitors can see all the permanent exhibitions in any of the buildings of the National Gallery in Prague.

The gallery will be also open on Tuesdays 1st and 8th May, which are officially the national holidays in the Czech Republic. People can visit the gallery between 10:00 and 18:00, however, this time they have to buy a ticket.

The most visitors are expected in the Trade Fair Palace where is now a contemporary exhibition of furniture design and architecture. The Trade Fair Palace also contains two significant paintings by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian (until 17th July 2007). Vlado Milunic, the co-author of the Dancing House, will talk about the construction of the famous building in Trade Fair Palace on Wednesday 2nd May at 16:00.