Social program

Walking Tour of Prague

Sunday July 16, 2006, 16:00 - 19:00

Meeting Point: Registration Desk at 15:45

Ticket: CZK 440 / EUR 14 (not included in reg. fee)

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is our most valuable historical city reserve. In 1992 the historical core of the city covering 866 hectares was listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Register.

Professional guide will take us on pleasant tour of Prague with a pleasure walk through Prague Castle, the Lesser Town, Charles Bridge and other Prague's monuments.

We will start the walking tour of Prague with the area of the famous Prague Castle.

Prague Castle is the largest medieval castle complex in Europe.

Destructive wars and fires, along with differing political forces have combined to create a truly unique architectural complex.

The Prague Castle complex, seat of Czech kings throughout the ages, includes the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral (the most conspicuous landmark in Prague), several palaces, a monastery, viewing towers, St. George's Basilica and the enchanting Golden Lane.

Today, Prague Castle is the seat of the President of the Czech Republic, and serves as the historical and political centre of both city and state.

The Changing of the Guard at the front gates takes place every hour. At noon the ceremony includes a fanfare.

We will continue with walking through the Lesser Town, which was founded in 1257 on the slopes bellow the Prague castle and it is the part of Prague least affected by resent history.

Via the well-known Charles Bridge we will reach Prague Old Town. Firstly mentioned in 1091- it is the oldest of the towns of Prague gained the privileges of a town in the 13th century. However, its name dates back to the 14th century when the New Town was founded. The centre of the Old Town has always been the Old Town Square dominated by the Church of Our Lady of Tyn and the Town Hall. The most popular part of the tower of the Town Hall is the Town Hall Clock (Orloj). Originally installed in 1410, the clock was rebuilt by the Master Hanus in 1490. It consists of three parts - the procession of Apostles, the astronomical clock and the calendar.

Our last stop will be Wenceslas Square - the part of New Town. The carefully planned New Town was founded by Charles IV in 1348. Twice as large as the Old Town, it was mainly inhabited by tradesmen and craftsmen. During the late 19th century its outer fortification were demolished and redeveloped to its present appearance.

Welcome Party

Monday July 17, 2006, 19:45 - 22:00

Meeting Point: Registration Desk at 19:30

Map of Michna Palace surrounding

Welcome Party will be held in Michna Palace - a part of Tyrs House - situated in the heart of the city's Lesser Town (Mala Strana) near Charles Bridge and Hradcany. The palace is in a walking distance from the conference site.

The Tyrs House Area, belongs to the Czech Sokol Organisation based in Lesser Town, had been formed for almost seven centuries. Agreeably to the historical notes this locality has been the oldest part of built up area in Prague. In the beginning it was part of the church lands, than began an estate of the rich aristocratic ancestry.

The address of the renovated representative halls of Michna Palace (in the well-known Tyrs House) is Ujezd Street 450, Prague 1.

Baroque Michna Palace together with the fountain and atrium is the most precious place in all Mala Strana.

Excursion and Czech dinner

Wednesday July 19, 2006, 16:00 - 22:00

Meeting Point: Registration Desk at 15:45

Ticket: CZK 1300 / EUR 46 (not included in reg. fee)

We are very pleased to offer you an excursion followed by a Czech dinner.

Option 1: Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic - ONDREJOV OBSERVATORY

An excursion to the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Science located on Manda hill amidst the forest. Founded by Josef Jan Fric 100 years ago, there are two historical observatories here and a museum displaying historic astronomical equipment. One observatory telescope has a mirror of 2m diameter.

The Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic is one of the oldest scientific institutions in our country. It is the direct successor of the Observatory of the Jesuit College, located in the tower of the Clementinum in Prague, where observations (principally of a meteorological character) were begun in 1722.

Since then the Observatory has undergone several changes, which reflected sometimes professional, sometimes even political and social reorganizations. After the emancipation of our Republic from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the institute was renamed the 'State Astronomical Observatory', and in 1940, it was moved as such to a regular apartment house in Vinohrady (Budecska St.).

Meanwhile (in 1898), a private observatory owned by J. J. Fric was built in a small village called Ondrejov, located 35 km (20 miles) south east of Prague. This small observatory was donated to the state Czechoslovakia represented by Charles University in Prague in 1928.

The site of the Ondrejov Observatory, at an elevation of 500 m in the relatively unpolluted environs of Prague, proved to be very well chosen. After the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences was established in 1953, it was merged with the State Astronomical Observatory to create the Astronomical Institute, now belonging to the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. At the time of the division of the Federal Republic into the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic in 1993, the Prague part of the Observatory was moved to new premises in Prague-Sporilov.

Option 2: Chateau Karlova Koruna

The castle "Karlova Koruna" (Charles's Crown) was built as the summer-seat of Count Frantisek Ferdinand Kinsky, the First Chancellor and Grand Vendor of the Kingdom of Bohemia, in 1721-23. The plans were drawn by one of the main baroque architects of Italian origin, Jan Santini Aichel. The building works were directed by the Prague Architekt Frantisek Maxmilián Kanka. The building was completed, there took place in Prague the coronation of Emperor Charles VI. King of Bohemia. After the ceremonies the Monarch honored Chancellor F. F. Kinsky by accepting an invitation to his new Castle which, in memory of the event, took the name of "Charles's Crown". The building has a unique ground-plan reminding the royal crown. It consists of a cylindrical core with three wings each of three rooms with square floors. In 1943 the Castle was heavily damaged by fire. After reparations in 1969 it was made accessible to visitors as Exhibition of the National Gallery "Baroque in Bohemia". Today the Castle belongs again to the Kinsky family. The original exhibition was replaced by an interior with the history of the Kinskys: portraits and the characteristic Kinsky horses the "Isabelle" (also called "palominos").

The Castle is surrounded by a 40 acres park with rare specimens, an example of a French baroque garden and an orangeroots in the southern part.

Czech Dinner

After the excursion you will spend your evening enjoying a pleasant Czech cuisine, along with your CCC 2006 colleagues, at the Club Hotel Pruhonice restaurant called "Ceska Chalupa" ("Czech Cottage"). The restaurant is located in a peaceful natural surrounding with a summer terrace. It resembles a typical Czech contemporary cottage. Inside you can find a furnace with open fire and a tile stove, where grilled and roasted meals are prepared just in front of your eyes. There is an extended outdoor terrace, where Czech specialities and vegetarian food will be served.

For nature lovers a visit to a dendrology garden is arranged. The garden is in the neighborhood of the restaurant. You can find there a lot of different kinds of coniferous and leafy trees, and many permanent and annual flowers.