28 And 29 Apr 2007 Prague Brevnov Quarter Celebrates 100 Years Of Becoming A Town

21 April 2007, 15:47 - Culture
Prague quarter of Břevnov, located several kilometres west from the Prague Castle, is preparing to celebration of become a town one hundred years ago. The celebration included theatre performances, Emperors' markets or the old Bohemian fair with real historical target range. All this should give back the magic of the time in the beginning of 20th century.

The most important sign and monument of Břevnov is the Břevnovský kláštěr (Brevnov Cloister, on the picture), the Czech Republic's oldest monastery, founded back in 993. The most of the next week's celebration takes place here.

On Saturday 28 April 2007 at half past twelve, the "Emperor Franz Joseph I" on the carriage and four horses departs from the Hradčanské náměstí (next to Prague Castle) to ba taken to the Břevnov monastery, where he should be around two o'clock.

The celebration also includes the ride on the historical trams. At the post office, people could buy special postcards with special stamps from two postmen dressed in original uniforms or book with historical photographs mapping more than one thousand years of Břevnov, as a village and as a town.

Part of the the celebration is also an exhibition in front of the Club Kaštan (near Břevnov monastery, open until 5 May.

Becoming a town incidentally. Břevnov became the town incidentally, witnesses say. When the Emperor came to Prague, he said to be glad to see and visit the town of Břevnov. But it was a village at the time. However, what Emperor says was a law, so Břevnov quickly became a town.

The name of both the quarter and the monastery come from the Czech word břevno which means beam in English. The craftsmen worked and stocked here the beams and the village then got a name. When the monastery was founded, the village had only 19 inhabitants. At the beginning of the 20th century, more than seven thousand people lived here.

Břevnov was a independent town only 15 years, it was connected to Prague on 1922 and forms part of Prague 6.

WHERE: Břevnov Monastery, Markétská 28/1, 169 01 Praha 69-Břevnov | take tram 15, 22 or 25 to stop Břevnovský kláštěr

WHEN: Sat 28 and Sun 29 Apr 2007

MORE INFO: Hundred years of Břevnov (in Czech only)