Compact archive August 14, 2007

Today at about 15:00 it’s been exactly 5 years since the river Vltava got to its peak in Prague during the catastrophic floods. The flow of the river, which is normally about 150 cubic liters per second was 5, 250 cubic litres per second. 48 thousand people had to be evacuated.

Five years later 95% of Prague is protected from high water. Prague has already invested 2 billion CZK into anti-flood measures, still 1,5 billion will be invested in Prague-Troja, -Zbraslav and -Radotin. 600 million CZK will go from the state budget.

The metropolis has 18-kilometer-long barriers against the big water, 5 kilometer of which are mobile. In case of emergency the anti-flood system can be fully activated within 24 hours.

Prague police are preparing for the tomorrow’s football match of Prague’s club Sparta and British club Arsenal. The police have information that radical football fans from England are coming to Prague these days.

Prague police together with the border police control the airport and railway stations and check the preparedness of the football stadium Letna where the match will take place. Prague police will be strengthen by police officers from London.

For security reasons the street U Sparty will be closed (if necessary also Milady Horakove street). Tram services will be provided during the whole day. Car drivers who plan to go to the match are advised to park their car near Strahov and continue by tram to Letna due to the reconstruction of a new tunnel in Letna plain.

Prague Carnival information here

Inspired by the world famous carnivals the fifth Prague district will be full of coloured masks, dancing people and allegorical vehicles. The two-day Prague Carnival is planned on 31st August and 1st September 2007.

The programme will start on Friday 31st August in park Portheimka by handing over the key of the city to the king/queen of the carnival, followed by shows of dancers dressed in coloured costumes made of feathers and music performances.

Allegorical vehicles with people wearing masks will walk from nam. 14 rijna via Ujezd and Andel to park Portheimka, 1st Prague beach (in Smichov) and local bars and restaurants on Saturday 1st September.

One of the events within the carnival will be an international meeting of practitioners of Capoeira, Brazilian martial art created by enslaved Africans during the 19th century.

Goethe-Institut Prag together with art cinemas Aero and Svetozor, Austrian Cultural Forum in Prague and Switz Embassy in Prague organize the 2nd Festival of German-language films Der Film.

The festival will take place in Prague’s cinemas Aero and Svetozor and Brno’s cinema Art on 4h – 12th October 2007. The theme of this year’s festival is euthanasia, immigrants and multicultural society.

Films that will be presented at the festival were chosen for their success in festivals and German, Austrian and Switz cinemas. Visitors will see 11 feature films, 7 documents, 1 short film Fair Trade and the film Asphalt from 1929 accompanied with live music. There will be also a show of Wim Wanders’s films.

For the first time in history of runs in the centre of Prague, runners will compete at night when the street of historical Prague will be illuminated just by street lamps.

Mattoni Night Grand Prix 2007 start at 20:00 and 21:00 on 8th September from the Old Town Square. The disciplines are the adidas Women’s Race 5km and the Metro Men’s Race 10km. Runners can also compete in teams.

Mattoni Night Grand Prix will also offer Hilton Barmen Race where people from various bars in Prague will compete in non-traditional disciplines. 2nd Embassy Race will give a chance to workers from foreign embassies and Czech ministries to beat the strong team of US marines that was very successful last year. For more info click here.