In 1922 a new attraction opened in built in Vršovice, now a part of Prague. Known as Lunapark and Eden, it had a roller coaster that measured five kilometers in length. With its giant roller coaster looking like it comes straight out of an American film, this is what Eden looked like 90 years ago....
Do you ever wonder how a street gets its name? Unless you have an understanding of notable people throughout Czech history, you will most likely not know that several Prague streets are named after Czech world travelers. Explores, cartographers and ethnographers who made substantial contributions on the world stage. Today we are looking at six...
As a direct result of the first World War, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was divided into a number of states including the Czechoslovakian Republic which was born on Oct. 28, 1918. This was also the beginning of the Czechoslovakian small arms industry. Today we are looking at the principal models of Czechoslovakian hand guns made since...
Today I found a vintage Czechoslovakian folk art sculpture of Rubezahl or Krkonoš – a European mountain man of legends and folklore. This hand-crafted Rubezahl is 24 inches high and approx 15 inches wide. His pipe reads Pozdrav z Krkonos, which roughly translates to “greetings from the highest mountains.” Rübezahl (Polish: Liczyrzepa, Duch Gór, Karkonosz, Rzepiór,...
We appeal to you to be vigilant and not let anyone, under any pretense to take your liberty and freedom. –American Veteran Earl Ingram, Lieutenant 2nd Infantry Division I received an email the other day which contained much of the following. It’s one of those emails that are shared from mailbox to mailbox and no...
Because our schedule has been packed with visitors and work, we have not been posting here as we usually do, but recently as I was cleaning out my old files I found a short poem I wrote when we arrived home from Prague the first time we went. The poem is simply a collection of...
We’ve already posted about Masaryktown and it’s dying history. The last time we were there, the Czech restaurant had become a place to get a Cuban sandwich. Except for the street names, no Czechs were anywhere to be found. Yet a few decades ago, this community was alive and well. That is why today we’re remembering...
The Exhibition Grounds are especially interesting, with a long tradition and an attractive location near Stromovka Park. They were built for the Jubilee Exhibition of 1891. More than 50 exhibition projects, trade fairs and a wide variety of cultural and entertainment events take place here every year. The General Global Exhibition was held in Prague...
Today we’re looking at the beautiful art on Czech military medals. All of the images and information you see here today comes from a special site, eMedals. eMedals provides high quality items with a superior degree of expertise in all areas of militaria. They offer a first class selection of medals from around the world, but obviously, we are...
Today I stumbled across some old color photographs from Czechoslovakian May Day in 1956 from Life Magazine and their photographer Frank Scherschel. The parade is taking place down Václavské náměstí or Wenceslas Square, located in the heart of Prague. From 1918 until 1938, Czechoslovakia had been a liberal, west-orientated state, valuing democratic principles, such as freedom of...
At the time of the mass immigration of Czechs to America, in the midst of the 19th century (1), as Tomáš Čapek wrote, the first immigrants, as a rule, settled near seaside cities, near lakes and waterways and, later, also along the railroad lines. Thus, at the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, they formed colonies...
Houska Castle (Czech: Hrad Houska) is a Czech clifftop castle shrouded in dark myths and legends. It was originally constructed in the 13th century, between 1253 and 1278, during the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia. The castle, which was built in the early gothic style, is located about an hour north of Prague on...
Josef Mařatka’s monument Praha svým vítězným synům (Prague to Its Victorious Sons) is the most famous monument constructed to honor the Czechoslovak Legionnaires. The independence of Czechoslovakia was proclaimed on October 28, 1918, by the Czechoslovak National Council in Prague and this monument was unveiled on the same day. In the center of the monument stands a...
Luby is a small town located in the Cheb District of the Czech Republic. It began as a small mining town but later became known as the center of violin making. During the 13th century the mining of cinnabar began in the town of Schönenbach (Modern day Luby) bringing hundreds of miners -and musicians- to...
Mariánské Lázně is a spa town located in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It is a relatively young town and was not even declared a spa town until 1818. At one time, Mariánské Lázně was a marshy valley but during the mid 19th century it was transformed into a beautiful city which...
Have you ever wondered what a 130 year journey of Czech playing cards may look like? We have and that’s why we’re sharing this post with you today. It all began with Jan Ritter. Jan Ritter was Czech. He was born in 1842 in (Nové) Kdyně, a town that traces its roots back to the mid 1200s....
