24/5/2022
Another venue of our guided tour series was one of Prague´s most famous theatres: The Estates Theatre.
The CU international academics and researchers learned many interesting facts not only about the history of the building itself, but also about the beginnings of one of Mozart´s best known operas Don Giovanni, which he dedicated to the Estates Theatre.
The traditional informal meetup at the end of the tour took place in the cosy Cafe Kamzík gallery nearby.
12/4/2022
In April, the CU Staff Welcome Centre and the Alumni Club invited the international employees and international members of the club to the opera performance Rusalka at the National Theatre in Prague. All the registered participants finally arrived and picked up their tickets.
Everybody enjoyed not only the Czech opera masterpiece Rusalka but also the interior of the National Theatre. There was time for posing, taking pictures and adoring fantastic views from the National Theatre terrace.
If we inspired you to go and see a performance at the National Theatre, Estate Theatre or State Opera, let us remind you that all CU employees and CU Alumni Club members can get tickets for a reduced price.
18/3/2022
The CU SWC and Alumni Club popular series of guided tours for the CU international employees and alumni continues. The guided tour organised in March went around the historical building of the National Theatre.
Participants of the tour visited and explored each floor of the theatre. The tour started with a short introduction of the milestones of the National Theatre history in the auditorium on the ground floor. After that, they saw the underground foundation stones and the two foyers with artworks. The tour ended at the highest place a visitor to the National Theatre can get to - the terrace with a view of Petrin Hill and Prague Castle.
Even though the tour took only about 60 minutes, the CU international academics and alumni learned a lot of details and interesting facts about one of the most significant symbols of Czech culture thanks to an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide Mrs Jitka Honsigová. The series will continue in May by the Estate Theatre Guided Tour. You are welcome to join us!
15/2/2022
Going to the theatre is favoured by many Czech people. Not only Czechs but tourists also admire the beauty of Prague theatre buildings such as the National Theatre, State Opera or Estate Theatre. The Charles University international employees and alumni got their invitation to the theatre to see the ballet Romeo and Juliet at the State Opera.
The timeless story of love and a ballet performance all in one did not require any knowledge of Czech and offered a spectacular performance of dance art, beautiful stage set up as well as costumes and very moving moments. We appreciate that all the registered people arrived and nobody missed their chance to go and dress up.
When the performance finished and pictures were taken, most theatregoers experienced another Czech tradition – beer tasting of products from small Czech breweries. Thus newcomers had their chance to introduce themselves to the older members of the CU international community.
27/1/2022
The first CU SWC social event in 2022 was a popular guided tour. This time the CU international employees and alumni went to see Carolinum, the historical part of Charles University, to find out about the university's very beginnings and changes with time.
Participants of the tour were acquainted with the early history of the university and the original four faculties and with the fact that from the very beginning, the university was an international institution. The young academics were guided around the Rotlev Palace, its corridors, vestibules and halls. The tour went through the Main Hall, Small Hall and National Hall and ceremonial premises of Charles University. The most exciting part of the tour was the cloakroom of the rector, professors and other scholars, where you can admire the simplicity yet elegance of the gowns worn for most ceremonies that take part in the Main Hall.
Even though the pandemic situation did not allow the participants to take off their face masks during the tour, there was an opportunity to meet new people in an informal gathering after the tour.
To learn even more details, see portraits of former rectors or know where the students' prison was, you can watch a profound Carolinum Guided Tour with professor Jan Royt in Czech with English subtitles.
30/11/2021
The last social event of this calendar year offered by the CU SWC was Quiz Night. Despite the worsening covid-19 situation, young CU academics were not afraid to meet at a bar in Žižkov to participate in the quiz.
Four teams of four tested their knowledge and logical thinking, imagination and memory. The quiz topics varied from history, geography, politics, celebrities, music, the '70s, stolen monuments to puzzles. It was fun to see that each team member contributed somehow as people have different hobbies and areas of interest. Teams with Italian nationals seemed to have a certain advantage because Italian food was part of the quiz, too. At the end of the Quiz Night, the bonus question pointed out how biased some information sources might be.
More social events are yet to come in the new calendar year. Follow the CU SWC pages to find out more information.
14/10/2021
The guided tour on Czech Cuisine was organised by the CU SWC to give the young Charles University academics and alumni from abroad a chance to learn more about Czech traditional meals and drinks. During the tour, participants from different CU faculties, i. e. the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, First Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Physical Education and Sport also had the opportunity to socialise and make new contacts with each other.
The tour was launched at Cafe Montmartre, where the academics tasted typical Czech appetisers - Pickled cheese and Pickled sausage ("utopence"). They also learnt about the origin of Czech bread and open-faced sandwiches. The tour then continued to Sisters Bistro, which offered the participants their delicious open-faced sandwiches ("chlebíčky"). There was also a discussion among the academics about a typical Czech meal they had tried. Part of the tour focused on Czech pastry tradition, preceded by a short artistic contest on Czech cakes („koláče“). Finally, there was dinner at the Lokál Hamburk restaurant in Karlín, which also provided some insights into Czech Beer tradition. A Signal Festival 2021 light show ended the evening.
16/9/2021
Young international academics from Charles University got together to hear the Story of Prague.
Despite a torrential rain and low temperatures the young researchers from Bosnia, Brazil, Great Britain, India, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Ukraine and the USA enjoyed the most and less famous Prague sights, stories and legends during a guided tour organised by CU SWC. It was a great opportunity to finally meet in person, get to know each other and share experiences of life and work in the Czech Republic.
The 3-hour long walk was guided by a professional guide Mrs Jiřina Posledníková who took the young academics around the Prague city centre and showed them all the Prague gems such as Astronomical Clock, the Old Town Square, the Old Town streets, the Charles Bridge and its statues. The participants were also told a great many stories and legends about life in Prague in the past. They were introduced to bizarre sculptures of a contemporary Czech artist David Černý and walked around the John Lennon Wall. Exhausted yet gratified tourists enjoyed and deserved a good meal and tasty beer brewed at the brewery restaurant St. Norbert at Strahov Monastery near Prague Castle.
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Staff Welcome Centre CU Point Charles University Celetná 13 116 36 Prague 1 Czech Republic |
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