where to go - i-Prague

Did you know that...
◗ ... the Dancing House on Prague’s Jiráskovo Square,
which attracts the attention of architects and lay admirers
of modern buildings, was also called
the Fred and Ginger building due to the shape of its
corner towers? The Dancing House was one of the
first daring modern buildings to be built in Prague
after the Velvet Revolution. The project involved the
world-famous American architect Frank O. Gehry and
the Czech architect of Croatian origins Vlado Milunič,
the interiors were partly designed by the architect
Eva Jiřičná. The building is primarily used for offices;
the top floor has a restaurant with an adjacent viewing
terrace. Apart from the first-rate menu one should
also enjoy the exceptional view of Prague.
www . tancici-dum.cz
◗ ... on 1 June, the 4th Dragon Boat Charity Challenge,
organised by the Rotary Club Prague International,
will be taking place on the river Vltava in Prague?
It is a unique entertainment event for the public, also
suitable for parents with children. Within the accompanying
programme, kids can look forward to plenty
of attractions, including body-painting, jugglers’
performances, a bead jewellery workshop, various
games and competitions. This year, more than thirty
teams will compete. The revenues from the boat race,
which annually attracts crowds of Praguers and visitors,
are earmarked for charity purposes. In 2012, the
event raised CZK 550,000. The main beneficiaries of
this year’s Dragon Boat Charity Challenge will be the
“Nadace Naše dítě” foundation for children and the
“ŽIVOT 90” organisation for senior citizens.
www . rotarydragon.cz
i
Prague
◗ ... the Vrtba Garden is one of the most precious and
beautiful Baroque gardens in the Czech Republic?
Together with three other Baroque gardens – the Vratislav,
Schönborn and Lobkowitz – it is situated on the
slope of Prague’s Petřín hill, nearby the Church of Our
Lady of Victory. The garden was designed in 1720 by
the distinguished Czech Baroque architect František
Maxmilian Kaňka to commission for Count Jan Josef
of Vrtba, who established it in the place of an old
vineyard, and has retained its original shape right up
to the present day. The Vrtba Garden is divided into
three terraces at different levels adorned with Matyáš
Bernard Braun’s sculptures. The interior frescos at the
Sala Terrena are the work of the Baroque painter Václav
Vavřinec Reiner, while the upper terrace affords
a breathtaking view of the centre of Prague. The Vrtba
Garden also contains trimmed decorative flowerbeds
and an aviary with exotic birds. The premises are frequently
used for various social events and are a popular
venue for wedding ceremonies. The Vrtba Garden
is a UNESCO-listed cultural monument and during
the tourist season it is open to the public. It is accessible
through the entrance from Karmelitská street in
Prague’s Lesser Town.
www . vrtbovska.cz