Compact archive May 14, 2007

Jean-Francois Pignon will come to Prague for the first time to show his excellency in horse dressage. “The one who dances with horses” can be seen in the hall on the Cisarsky Island in Prague at 17:00 on Sunday 20th May. The show of Jean-Francois Pignon will offer great experience enhanced by special light effects.

All those who would like the learn from the great teacher have a special opportunity. Jean-Francois Pignon will give lessons in Masecin near Stechovice on 21st and 22nd May. More information at www.villagineta.cz.

Tickets for Sunday’s show can be bought from 290 CZK (for standing from 190 CZK), you can reserve them at pignon@jezdectvi.cz. Taking pictures is prohibited without prior organizer’s permission.

International day of museums and galleries is celebrated all over the world. Its aim is to point out the importance of these cultural institutions in our lives. It’s been celebrated on 18th May since 1977 (several museums and galleries celebrate it at the weekend 19th and 20th May).

The National Museum in Prague is open on Sunday 20th for free. The Prague City Museum (Na Porici 52 street) is open on Saturday 19th May for a symbolic fee of 1 CZK. Other museums open for free on 18th May are the Czech Police Museum (Ke Karlovu 1 street), the Museum of Decorative Arts (17. listopadu 2 street) and the National Museum of Agriculture Prague (Kostelni 44 street). The Pedagogical museum J. A. Comenius (Valdstejnska 20 street) is without the entrance fee on Saturday 19th May.

On Friday 18th May you can also visit several galleries for free (admission fee may be only asked for guided tours). It includes St Agnes of Bohemia Convent, The House of the Black Madonna, St George’s Convent, Sternberg Palace, Trade Fair Palace or Kinsky Palace.

Due to repair works at the crossroads Albertov, there will be restrictions in the tram transportation between stops Moran – Otakarova – Vyton – Albertov from today until 18th July 2007. The routes and stops of tram lines no. 4, 6, 18, 24, 53 and 55 will be changed. Line no. 17 will be out of service.

Additional line no. 38 will follow the route Vozovna Pankrac – Prazskeho povstani – Namesti Bratri Synku – Otakarova – Prazskeho povstani – Vozovna Pankrac. Additional bus line X-18 will go from Lazarska to Ostrcilovo namesti. Another bus line X-24 will follow Otakarova – Ostrcilovo namesti – Otakarova. Click here to see the map of the area.

Other changes in tram routes will be from 16:00 on Friday 18th May until 18:00 Sunday 20th May between Malostranska and Cechuv Most. Line no. 12 will be diverted from Malostranska – Strossmayerovo namesti via Chotkovy Sady and Letenske namesti.

Besides the thousands of marathoners in the street of the centre of Prague, about 300 people were marching from the Strelecky Islands to Prague Castle and back yesterday to support the project Walk the World – Fight Hunger. This project tries to call attention to the problem of starvation in many countries of the world.

All the participants in the world had the same kind of T-shirts. Prague’s participants had to start the march a bit earlier due to the Marathon which closed Charles Bridge. Last year there were about 2,000 people marching through the city.

Thousands of runners took part in the Marathon Weekend in Prague last Saturday and Sunday. About 4,000 runners competed in the 13th Marathon Prague that started in the Old Town Square at 9:00 on Sunday. The sun was shining, the temperature was a little bit too high for the marathon – in the second half of the marathon it was 24˚C (75.2˚F). Eight runners had to be taken to the hospital due to exhaustion and dehydration.

For the first time, the winner of the marathon was not from Kenya but from Portugal. Helder Ornelas finished the marathon with the time 2:11:49, second Luka Chelimo (Kenya) with 2:12:36 and third Paulo Gomez with 2:12:51. The best woman was Nailja Julamanovova from Russia with 2:33:10, second Malgorzata Sobanska (Poland) with 2:35:02 and third Veronika Brychcinova (the Czech Republic) with 2:40:50.

The marathon closed 69 streets of Prague, changed the routes of 12 trams and 2 buses. Many road restrictions complicated the transportation in Prague.