This publication is focused on the phenomenon of institutionally and internationally established scientific meetings from the beginning of the 20th century to the present, aiming to outline the more general features of organising international scientific conferences as well as the specifics of the Czech and Central European milieu in particular. The chapters herein deal both with specific conferences and congresses as well as their importance for the development of certain disciplines or branches of science, or for the career growth and scientific profiling of certain personalities.