Compact archive October 24, 2007

Flamenco is a blend music, with elements of Romany, Arab and Jewish sounds that co-existed over the years in Andalusia, Spain. There may be debates about its origin, but there’s little debate over its great figures. The greatest contemporary figure in the music, and certainly the best-known internationally, is the virtuoso guitarist Paco de Lucía.

If you wish to crown your stay in Prague, you have a chance of getting to the Master’s flamenco concert, that takes place on 2nd November 2007 in Prague Congress Centre, 5. kvetna 65. Tickets at Ticket Pro, 1190,- / 2200,- CZK (40,- / 73,- € )

We hear the word Blob every day. Almost everyone has an opinion about Kaplicky’s new National library. But what does the word blob mean?

Among the creators of such buildings it is common to talk about ‘Blobitecture’ or ‘Blobism’. It is a kind of architecture originating in late 20th – early 21th century. It is significant for anti-urban, anti-contextual buildings resembling large blobs with reptile-like carapaces.

For this style typical are buildings in organic, amoebic shape. Sometimes, it is called green, or ‘environmental’ architecture.

In the Czech Republic, Blobism was first discussed at the end of 90’s. Names connected to the term are those of world-top engineers. For example Norman Foster with his Philosophical library in Berlin (top left). Famous Frank Gehry, the author of Prague Dancing House with his Guggenheim museum (middle right) and finally, Jan Kaplicky, with his controversial, but famous building Selfridges in Birmingham (left).

Those are probably the most famous Blob buildings. Whether Prague will have its Blob, remains a question, as Blobitecture is unspeakably ugly for some, visionary for others.

For the complex information about Prague Blob Library click here

Palladium is located in Prague, Namesti Republiky square (at a metro station of the same name). It opens on 25th October 2007 and customers can start shopping at 5 p.m. There are two hundred shops to be opened gradually. The biggest supply is of designer boutiques offering fashion and shoes.

New brands are going to enter the Czech market, and to have their first shops here. Those are i.e. Adams Kids, Mothercare and Italy’s fashion retailer Conbipel. While Palladium is expected to profit from its advantageous location in the city center, (just a minute from Prague’s shopping street Na Prikopech) the customers will have to expect the prices to reflect the center position. Rents at this location are one of the biggest in the Czech Republic.

There may be ‘war’ coming to the streets of Prague, as the right-wing extremists do not seem to give up their March on Crystal Night in Jewish quarters of Prague

Zidovska liberalni unie (Jewish liberal union), stands out as a Jewish organization which invites “young healthy sportsmen and soldiers to active resistance” to Prague. Police is probably going to go through some hard time, as there is also a demonstration of anarchists on 10th November in the surroundings of Jewish quarters.

Prague City Hall has banned the neo-nacist march, however the organizers have addressed a court, which lifted the ban because of “case errors”.

Jewish Community of Prague have summoned, to the day of the Crystal night jubilee, a gathering which is supposed to honour by prayer the tens of thousands death Jews, who died in the massive pogrom, which started on 10th November 1938.

According to the speaker of Prague Police Eva Brozova it is not clear, whether the march of neo-nazis will be realized or not. “If yes, the police will take action”

What is Jewish town in Prague, and why it attracts extremists?

Dampness that threatens the complex mechanism of Prague Astronomical clock has a simple originator: salt. It results from the chemical analysis, made by the laboratory of The National Institute for Heritage Preservation.

“Astronomical clock is in a locality that is seasonally salted on a long term basis” Ivana Kopecka, the manager of the laboratory explains. The other source of salt are nitrates in the floor of the building, originating from decaying biological material. It is for example domestic waste from times of no sanitation system. Earlier harsh repair works (including improper plaster) also contributed to the present state of the walls.

The National Institute for Heritage Preservation analysis also suggests, how to get the Astronomical clock rid of salt and so of dampness: “We suggest to put the present plaster off the walls, and to put on a special plaster which would absorb salt and is easily changeable for a new one.

Damp stains extends from the ground floor to upper floors. They appeared after the floods in 2002 for the first time. Wetness can be the reason of increasingly frequent malfunctions of the sight.