The National Memorial atop Prague's Vítkov Hill will host a ceremony next week in honor of the establishment of Czechoslovakia on October 28 The 2020 ceremony was cancelled due to restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and politicians came to the monument to lay wreaths and flowers individually Other traditional events held on October 28 will be postponed this year due to the hospitalization of President Miloš Zeman The medal ceremony at Prague Castle is the most important of these commemorative gatherings The Czech President traditionally bestows the medals to honorees on the evening of October 28 The medal ceremony will be postponed from the national holiday on October 28 to a later date Czech Presidential Office head Vratislav Mynář told journalists on Thursday The head of the Presidential Office protocol department told CTK on Wednesday that it will be up to President Miloš Zeman to decide on the new date of the ceremony The way the decorations are bestowed depends on the president He may designate someone to do so or postpone the ceremony Kruliš assumes that if the ceremony does not take place Prague Castle will announce the recipients and the medals will be bestowed later A similar procedure was undertaken last year when the ceremony could not take place due to the pandemic foreign ambassadors will not be invited to a reception at the castle on the eve of October 28 according to information provided by Kruliš Generals will not be appointed for the same reason as the designation requires Zeman's signature New military members will not take their oaths in Prague Nearly five hundred university graduates will instead likely take their oaths in the Brno barracks Those attending the ceremony at the Vítkov memorial this year must have their mouth and nose covered and prove they have been either vaccinated against Covid-19 or tested negative the Defence Ministry's Jana Zechmeisterová told CTK face masks are not compulsory for the soldiers in the honorary units as they work together will replace Zeman during the wreath-laying ceremony Other ceremonies related to October 28 will commemorate Czechoslovak legionaries Defence Minister Lubomír Metnar will bestow ministerial awards and selected soldiers will be promoted to the rank of colonel at Vítkov on Wednesday Your morning coffee deserves a great companion. 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The Battle of Vítkov Hill ended 600 years ago The outnumbered forces fighting under one-eyed Hussite leader Jan Žižka defeated an army of crusaders from the Holy Roman Empire on July 14 Hussites followed the teachings of Jan Hus, a priest who was executed for heresy in 1415 for his calls for reform in the Catholic Church called for a crusade against the Hussites as well as followers of John Wycliffe the first groups of what are now considered Protestants The Hussite forces were largely untrained militia with improvised weapons Jan Hus memorial at Old Town Square / via Raymond Johnston Žižka’s forces entered Prague on May 22 and established themselves behind wooden fortifications on Vítkov Hill estimated at 80,000 strong — though accounts from the time claim twice as many — crossed the Vltava to attack on July 13 The Hussites held them off with a small number of soldiers and militia perhaps as few as 60 people including at least three women until reinforcements came on July 14 and routed the crusaders forcing them into a panicked retreat down the steep side of the hill The exact number of Hussite fighters in the relief militia in unknown Casualties are estimated at up to 500 crusaders killed while the Hussites lost perhaps as few as two or three people Vítkov Hill used to be outside the city walls of Prague The Žižkov neighborhood in Prague 3 is named for Jan Žižka and many of the streets are named after Hussite members or factions Prague 3 marked the occasion of the 600th anniversary by placing new informational signs on streets that have names related the Hussites “To mark the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Vítkov we are creating a path in the footsteps of the Hussites in Prague 3 The name Žižkov for part of Vinohrady part was approved by the Vinohrady municipal committee at the instigation of Karel Hartig a patriot and a follower of the Hussite tradition,” Prague 3 said in a Facebook post Plaque on Lupáčova Street / via Raymond Johnston Hartig was mayor of Královské Vinohrady when it still included what is now Žižkov Hartig became the first mayor of the new district Naming places for Hussites was carried out across the district Re-enactment of the Battle of Vítkov / via Raymond Johnston “This formed the basis of the nomenclature tradition it is the oldest system of street names in Prague places and other nomenclatures that relate to the Hussites of which six are on buildings and eight on public lighting poles,” Prague 3 said there has been a re-enactment of the Battle of Vítkov Hill Due the restrictions for large crowds due to coronavirus National Memorial at Vítkov / via Raymond Johnston The dominant feature of Vítkov Hill is a large statue of Jan Žižka in front of the National Memorial at Vítkov (Národní památník na Vítkově) The statue is currently the third-largest equestrian statue in the world It was commissioned in 1931 with Bohumil Kafka as the sculptor Kafka died in 1942 and did live to see the finished work It was not completed until after World War II One of Prague’s dominant features is the large equestrian statue of Jan Žižka on Vítkov Hill People tend to overlook that there is also a large park extending the whole length of the hill as well A project to revitalize the park will start as early as next year The overall natural character will be preserved Prague City Council awarded the contract to create project documentation for the first phase to the VZ Vítkov the city’s Department of Green Care will prepare documentation for the building permit the first phase of park renewal could begin as early as 2022 The plan calls for significant modifications to the park in Prague’s Žižkov district The promenade leading to the National Monument and Žižka statue should acquire a significantly more residential character That should change when the road is abolished and a 14-meter-wide pedestrian with sprinklers is created a scenic restaurant and a bistro with public toilets will be sunk into the terrain so as not to disturb the silhouette of the hill The overall cost is estimated at CZK 100 million The main concept is to preserve the hill in its original natural form and not to overwhelm it with additions that will take way from its main asset The revitalization of the park will probably be divided into three to four stages There are also plans to modify public lighting such as Japanese pagoda trees and two types of drought-resistant maple An elevator from the Žižkov pedestrian tunnel to the top of the hill had been discussed but due to costs estimated at over CZK 120 million it will not be created at any time in the foreseeable future A footbridge at the planned Prague-Karlín railway station which would also have improved accessibility to the uipper part of the hill Some minor adjustments take place on a continual basis. At the end of 2019, a vineyard was planted above Tachovské náměstí on the southern slope of the hill. It covers 1,300 square meters with 686 grape vines. In 2018, several installations including a wooden lookout were placed on the hill as part of the Landscape Festival In 2010 the path of former rail tracks leading through the the Old Vítkov Tunnel was converted into a bike path Vítkov is one of the most important hills in Prague. The oldest mention of it dates back to 1041, when it was covered with dense forests and gradually cleared during settlement. During the reign of Emperor Charles IV, vineyards were established. The most significant event was a battle during the Hussite Wars when Hussites under the leadership of Jan Žižka defeated the pro-Catholic crusader army on July 14 The National Monument is often associated with the communist era but it was actually built between 1928 and 1932 from designs by Jan Zázvorka to honor the memory of Czechoslovak legionnaires and the Czechoslovak resistance during the World War I During World War II it was stripped of anythign valuable and used as a warehouse by the occupying German army In 1954–1962 it functioned as a mausoleum of Klement Gottwald the remains of unknown soldiers from the battle of Zborov in World War I and Dukla in World War II are stored there and solemn ceremonies take place there on national holidays There is an exhibition on Czech and Czechoslovak modern history inside the monument One of the tallest bronze equestrian statues in the world is in front of the building a monument to Jan Žižka by sculptor Bohumil Kafka It was designed as early as 1931 and a plaster model was made in 1941 The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of the Battle of Vítkov The northern foot of the slope belongs to the Military History Institute Reaching the park on Vítkov Hill from Prague’s Karlín district is likely to become much easier with the planned construction of a new barrier-free footbridge over the railway lines at Pernerova street The new footbridge connects to the Holešovice-Karlín footbridge over the Vltava This will create a convenient pedestrian route between Holešovice people can get to the footbridge via an elevator in the tower of an apartment building The footbridge will cross over the railway line and connect to pedestrian routes leading to Vítkov Hill The Prague 3 district plans to create pedestrian routes in the park Prague Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr said two apartment buildings will be built by a private investor on Pernerova Street The tower with an elevator will stand between them from which a covered footbridge will lead to Vítkov “The apartment building and the bridge itself will significantly improve the accessibility of the city it will now be possible to reach Vítkov Hill and also the Military Historical Institute without barriers It will improve accessibility between parts of the city that are still divided by the railway,” Scheinherr said The Prague City Council approved a feasibility study on Oct The Technical Road Administration (TSK) will now start to plan and develop the project Construction could begin within five years The bridge is designed as a roofed steel-concrete transparent structure called a Vierendeel beam Two long beams will be connected by steel crossbars into a rigid box structure The walkway’s deck and roof will be made of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete panels the width of the supporting structure is 2.8 meters and the total height of the structure reaches 3.25 meters The railing is made of a thin steel mesh for the entire height of the footbridge LED strips illuminating the walking surface will be the main light source of the footbridge financed by private investor Richard Sobotka matching the height of the tallest houses on the street block yet lower than most other new buildings in Karlín The buildings will have a total of nine floors above ground with 77 apartments seven non-residential units and 75 parking spaces Vítkov Hill itself will also undergo major changes thanks to a previously announced renovation While its overall natural character will be preserved A 14-meter-wide pedestrian promenade leading to the National Monument and Jan Žižka statue will replace the current two-lane road The promenade will have sprinklers and end in a plaza with a fountain It is home to one of the tallest bronze equestrian statues in the world a monument to Žižka by sculptor Bohumil Kafka The statue was unveiled on the 130th anniversary of the Battle of Vítkov in 1950 and an atomic particle accelerator in a converted morgue hide behind its inconspicuous metal side doors The tunnel under Vítkov Hill linking Žižkov and Karlín was built between 1951 and 1953 The tunnel starts at Tachovské náměstí and ends in Thámova Street It is 303 meters long and 4.4 to 4.8 meters wide with a maximum height of 3.4 meters A planned parallel car tunnel ending at Šaldova Street was never built Trams through the tunnel were also planned One of the doors in the side of the tunnel leads to a nuclear fallout shelter where 1,250 people could survive for 72 hours with food Concerts and art exhibitions have been held in some of these side spaces but they are not generally open to the public The shelter was kept in a state of readiness until around 1990 a humanitarian aid depot can still be set up in the tunnel with chairs but it is still maintained for a possible catastrophe by the Prague Service Administration (SSMPH) There was also a room with double steel doors to store corpses created by whatever catastrophe forced people into the tunnel This room now holds a laboratory with a small microtron administered by the Nuclear Physics Institute (ÚJF) from Řež The device is on a much smaller scale than ones that make the news Door in the Žižkov Tunnel with candles for a cyclist The small laboratory below Vítkov is operated by four scientists The dense rocks of Vítkov make it an ideal place where the microtron’s high energy output and radiation can be handled safely The idea to build the microtron was first put forward in 1974 the then-deputy director at the Joint Nuclear Research Institute (SÚJV) in Dubna The communist government funded the project once they found out it could be used to analyze rock samples to look for gold It is thought that a detailed map showing various gold concentrations throughout Czechoslovakia was created The search went on until the Velvet Revolution the microtron is used for more practical research The first section of the Žižkov Tunnel was festively opened April 21 when it presented to President Antonín Zápotocký as a 63rd birthday present It was built by the national company Baraba and official tallies put the cost at 12 million Kčs The festive poster at the opening ceremony had the inscription “Tunnelers welcome” (Tuneláři vítají) Despite being in use for more than 60 years, the tunnel didn’t have an official name until December 2014 People in Karlín called it the Žižkov Tunnel (Žižkovský tunel) and Žižkov residents referred to it as the Karlín Tunnel (Karlínský tunel) choosing not to take sides in the not-so-heated debate called it the Vítkov Tunnel (Vítkovský tunnel) Prague 3 City Hall belatedly stepped in to settle the matter they passed an amendment to the local regulations and sided with the Žižkovský tunel faction they named the new cycle and pedestrian tunnel on Vítkov Hill built in on the former location of rail tracks the Old Vítkov Tunnel (Starý Vítkovský tunel) The Old Vítkov Tunnel begins at Kališnická Street and ends at a bike and pedestrian path running parallel to currently used rail tracks The tunnel was built in 1872 for rail traffic It was converted into a bike and pedestrian path between 2008 and 2010 The Žižkov Tunnel can look a little intimidating and the Karlín side now has an inscription above the entrance telling people not to be afraid The politicians who took part in the ceremony included President Petr Pavel, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Minister of Defense Jana Černochová, President of the Senate Miloš Vystrčil, Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda, Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Markéta Pekarová Adamová. Pavel spoke about the parallels between the aggression in Ukraine and Nazi Germany’s annexation of the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia in 1938 and also mentioned that he saw Ukrainian soldiers as heroes. "I am proud that the Czech Republic has supported Ukraine from the first minute and wants to preserve its honor," he said. Minister of Defense Jana Černochová also emphasized that the Czech Republic was fortunate to join international organizations such as NATO. "As a country, we are very lucky to have been able to join NATO, many other countries were not so lucky, and no one will dare to do that to us," Černochová said. The largest celebration of the end of World War II in the Czech Republic happened this weekend in Pilsen, where thousands of people with Czech, American, and Belgian flags welcomed the Convoy of Freedom yesterday, ČTK reports. A parade of more than 280 pieces of historic military equipment, the convoy is one of the highlights of Plzen's annual Freedom Festival, which is also one of the largest celebrations of its kind in Europe. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Plzeň (@plzen.eu) Get a free 30-min consultation with our experts to explore smart investment strategies American and Belgian veterans who liberated the city in May 1945 had pride of place on Jeep vehicles in the convoy their family members rode in the Jeeps with bouquets of lilacs and photos of the veterans in their hands while onlookers applauded and cheered them on The fighting head of the parade was the heavy equipment of the 16th Armored Division which was the first to enter Plzen on the morning of May 6 spearheaded by the legendary American M4 Sherman medium tank The town of Rokycany, where the American and Soviet armies met during the liberation of Czechoslovakia in May 1945, also celebrated the anniversary with a parade attended by 6,500 people, Deník N reports. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MÄ›sto Rokycany (@mestorokycany) The Museum on the Demarcation Line in Rokycany the largest non-state military museum in the Czech Republic which included representatives of Russia in previous years the local city hall did not send an invitation to the celebrations at the Russian embassy or hang Russian flags in the city.  Czech officials including President Miloš Zeman marked the 77th anniversary of the end of World War II at Prague's National Memorial on Vítkov Hill this morning during Victory in Europe Day celebrations May 8 is a public holiday commemorating the end of WWI in Europe in the Czech Republic and most other European states marking the official surrender of Nazi Germany on May 8 Chamber of Deputies speaker Markéta Pekarová Adamová and Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib were among the officials who laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider on Vítkov this morning The annual ceremony took place in full this year for the first time since 2019 following two years of pandemic restrictions one of the Czech capital's largest sporting events was held in full this morning for the first time since 2019 following two years of pandemic restrictions that forced organizers to cancel or alter the event More than 10,000 runners are estimated to have participated in this year's race Sunday morning from Prague's Old Town Square Kenyan Eliud Kiptanui set the record for men in the Prague Marathon in 2010 with a time of 2:05:39 while Israeli Lonah Chemtai Salpeter set the record for women in 2019 with a time of 2:19:46 Czech runners Jiří Homoláč and Marcela Joglová are also participating in this year's race and are the among the favorites from domestic athletes The Czech Republic's spa city of Karlovy Vary kicked off the start of the 2022 spa season on Saturday with a ceremonial blessing of its springs by Plzeň Bishop Emeritus František Radkovský guests can visit the region this year without restriction and officials predict that those levels will not fully return in 2022 While Karlovy Vary has long been popular among Russian-speaking guests the region is expecting a decline in these tourists this year due to the war in Ukraine "Thanks to the Karlovy Vary Cultural Summer program we will try to target domestic Czech tourists and also target foreign clients who can get here by bus or train," Mayor Andrea Pfeffer Ferklová told local media "We would like to attract German and Austrian clients and we will target Polish visitors this year as well." Temperatures in Prague were significantly cooler this April than the long-term average over the past thirty years according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute The Czech capital's Klementinum weather station measured an average temperature of 9.4 degrees Celsius in April which is 2.1 degrees colder than the average temperature between 1991 and 2020 April 2021 was also one degree cooler than the 30-year average Since records were first kept at Prague's Klementinum in 1775 Prague's coldest April was measured in 1839 with an average temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius The second-coldest was in 1817 with an average temperature of five degrees and the third-coldest in was 1785 with an average temperature of 5.4 degrees A monument to victims of communism in the form of a circular bench surrounding a linden tree was unveiled today in Rohatece across from the town's Chapel of All Saints The bench is the second such memorial in the area following another in nearby Hrobce and they were created and installed by descendants of persecuted families They benches are intended to serve as a reminder of Soviet oppression and communist persecution from the 1950s through the 1980s but are also meant to be used a meeting place for locals and hundreds of Plzeň residents continue to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the liberation of the city by United States troops on May 6 1945 during the five-day Liberation Festival attendees gathered at Plzeň's Thank You America Memorial along with war veterans from the United States and Belgium who participated in the liberation of the city 77 years ago "This was not for the first time in our history when we were very grateful to the United States," Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová said at the event on Friday "The United States also stood by for the birth of Czechoslovakia in 1918 And its aid is also particularly needed today as the troops under war criminal Putin invade Eastern Europe." Gas prices in the Czech Republic have been on the rise since last autumn, and more waves of price increases are expected over the course of the next year, analyst Jiří Gavor from the Czech Association of Independent Energy Suppliers told Novinky.cz gas prices in the Czech Republic will be fifty percent higher by spring 2023 prices on the wholesale market have been three to five times higher than at the beginning of 2021 and this must be reflected in final gas prices for retail consumers following a delay," says Gavor Prague is prepared to strip controversial Soviet Marshal Ivan Koněv of his honorary citizenship according to a preliminary plan that Mayor Zdeněk Hřib will present to city councilors on Monday A celebrated war hero credited with liberating Prague from Nazi rule Koněv also took part in the May 9 bombing of Mladá Boleslav and the 1956 suppression of anti-communist protests in Hungary Koněv became an honorary citizen of Prague on June 6, 1945, and a statue of him was later erected in Prague 6. The statue was removed in 2020 "The act of bestowing honorary citizenship [to Koněv] must be seen in the context of the day and also taking into account the further historical development of Czechoslovakia it only allowed for a single interpretation of the events while some facts were suppressed and kept secret," Hřib explains in his proposal An audit of the Czech Anti-Doping Committee conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency in November of last year found 42 errors and breaches of regulations, Radiožurnál reported on Friday The Czech committee has been given until September 10 of this year to fix the errors; otherwise Czech athletes may be banned from participating in international events Errors found by the World Anti-Doping Agency included a failure to meet the necessary number of anti-doping checks of registered athletes away from competitions Doping checks were largely performed during competitions in the Czech Republic "Competitions accounted for 70 percent of the tests but the World Anti-Doping Agency wants the ratio to be exactly the reverse," says Jiří Janák "The case is being investigated by forensic scientists who are now investigating the circumstances in which the man died," writes police spokesperson Violeta Siřišťová "He was found at home with no signs of life and a head injury The tunnel connecting Prague’s Žižkov and Karlín districts will be closed to pedestrians and cyclists for two weeks The closure of the Žižkov Tunnel starts on Monday The Prague 3 district recommends that people use public transit instead as there is no other easy way to get across Vítkov Hill The closest metro stop on the Karlín side is Křižíkova. On the Žižkov side though, the metro is less convenient as the closest open station will be Flora, since the stop at náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad will close on Jan. 14 for 10 months due to the installation of new escalators Trams to the Karlínské náměstí stop on the Karlín side or Lipanská on the Žižkov side might be more convenient than the metro for some people. Several buses also serve the area. Alternate routes can be planned using the PID Lítačka phone app Prague 3 recommends taking a route from Tachovské náměstí along Husitská Traffic signs about the closure will be placed at the tunnel entrances at Tachovské náměstí in Prague 3 and Thámova street in Prague 8 as well as at the Křižíkova metro station No changes will be made to the tunnel itself during the closure will be blocked due to the ongoing renovation of Tachovské náměstí When it is finished, the square will have new trees, new pavement, benches for rest, and more convenient entrances to both the tunnel and the park in Vítkov Hill. Visualizations of the square can be seen here The 303-meter-long tunnel linking Žižkov and Karlín was built between 1951 and 1953, the height of the Cold War. The tunnel hides entrances to a nuclear fallout shelter and an atomic particle accelerator Despite being in use for more than 60 years the tunnel didn’t have an official name until December 2014 when the Prague 3 district officially opted for “Žižkovský tunel.” This ended a long-running dispute as it was also commonly called the Karlín Tunnel and Vítkov Tunnel Media Centre a commemorative act was traditionally held at the National Memorial on the Vítkov Hill the ceremony was also attended by President Miloš Zeman representatives of both chambers of the Czech Parliament representatives of the Czech Army and other distinguished guests The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the memory of the Prime Minister of the Protectorate Government who was executed by the Nazis on 19 June 1942 for his activities in the resistance “Today we commemorate Victory in Europe Day and the end of World War II and of course we think with gratitude of those who fought for our freedom and we remember with respect those who fell victim to the war But this is no ordinary celebration of Victory in Europe Day when we would simply look with joy that these war events are a thing of the past and that nothing like this can happen to us again,” said Prime Minister Petr Fiala “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine reminds us that freedom and independence are not a given That these are fragile things for which we need to fight And today we must think not only of the victims of the Second World War but also of the victims of the war that is taking place in Ukraine at this very moment And we must be grateful to those who are fighting there because they are fighting for our freedom and our independence in Kiev and everywhere else,” Prime Minister Fiala reminded together with 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan and Minister of Defence Jana Černochová also attended a ceremony at the Prague Castle during which President Miloš Zeman appointed new generals on the occasion of the 8 May national holiday The Prime Minister paid tribute to the memory of the fallen during the liberation of Prague and the victims of the Prague Uprising including Ambassador of Ukraine Yevhen Perebyinis they commemorated the memory of the fallen soldiers of the 1st 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Front of the Red Army at the Memorial to the Fallen Red Army soldiers and then moved to the Honorary Burial Ground to commemorate those who fell during the Prague Uprising in May 77 years ago these days it is not possible to carelessly celebrate when a real war is happening a few hundred kilometres away where many are killed and wounded every day we are also commemorating the victims from the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces and general public at this symbolic place,” the Prime Minister said Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1834.96 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1665.36 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1824.90 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2118.01 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1366, jpg, 2282.82 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2146.25 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1323.35 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2500x1669, jpg, 2194.53 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2500x1669, jpg, 3739.58 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2500x1669, jpg, 4072.83 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1697.29 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2074.15 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2904.78 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1380.48 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1392.65 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2268.80 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1366, jpg, 3270.64 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2925.63 kB) Want to make the most of the summer sunshine There’s no better way than checking off the classic picnic from your seasonal bucket list Prague is home to an array of picturesque picnic spots that you’ll never want to leave consider the public seating area at Petřín accessible via a scenic walk along Vítězná Street Prewrapped sandwiches and other picnic refreshments are easy to come by in Prague. Stop by Café Savoy for filled croissants, fresh pastries, or sandwiches. In Karlín, Eska offers a range of tasty to-go options View this post on Instagram A post shared by U Kalendů (@ukalendu_) Swing by Našo Maso for expertly sliced and wrapped hams and sausages or grab a local favorite like meatloaf in a bun where you’ll find a range of non-alcoholic options in their well-stocked fridge Police at the scene of the murder of Lija Arustamova in Portavogie By Rebecca BlackMon 14 Dec 2015 at 10:00A Latvian man has been charged with the murder of his mother in rural Co Down Lija Arustamova (52) died at her home in Portavogie in the early hours of Saturday morning Portavogie has been charged with her murder and is expected to appear before Downpatrick Magistrates Court this morning Detective Chief Inspector Alan Dickson said: "Police have arrested a 25-year-old man following the death of a 52-year-old woman in the Portavogie area He has been taken to Musgrave Police Station for questioning." DUP councillor Robert Adair extended his deepest sympathies to the family "My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of this dear lady," he said It is understood mother and son had been living in the Co Down village for around two years Strangford MP Jim Shannon said the news had "rocked" the seaside village we are deeply shocked by the news that a woman has died "The mother and son had been in the area for some time but as far as I know the majority of their family are still living in Latvia "I can only imagine the devastation that this woman's family and friends are experiencing "My thoughts are always with family and friends of the bereaved over Christmas time - it is heartbreaking to have lost a loved one at any stage let alone this close to what should be an enjoyable time for all I wish the family my sincerest condolences." Receive today's headlines directly to your inbox every morning and evening Please check your inbox to verify your details