What’s new in Central Bohemia in 2022

A brand new Karlštejn

The generous and extensive reconstruction of the royal castle of Karlštejn should be completed by the end of 2022. The imperial residence of Charles IV is going through a fundamental reconstruction, which includes, among other things, a new visitor centre with modern cash registers and a small new cafeteria.

New bathrooms will also be built, and the original site will include a multi-purpose hall for organising various educational programmes and cultural events. The burgrave basement is planned to be used for a presentation of the structural development of the castle and wine-growing, which are both inextricably linked to Karlštejn. The new spaces will help you pass time in a pleasant way while waiting for a guided tour.

The Czech Karst House of Nature Opening

The Czech Karst House of Nature – a visitor centre that provides both an entrance to the caves and visitor services will open by the Koněprusy Caves in the Czech karst at the end of the year. The house will include a cash register, sanitary facilities, a shop, a cafeteria with seating, a play room for the little ones and bike storage.

The ground floor will have a permanent exposition on the Czech karst nature. It will take you back in time to the origin of the trilobite, the creation of the karst landscape and cave exploring. You will learn about local protected species and the necessity of their protection. There will also be various mechanical activities, experiments, theme-based areas or an artificial cave to crawl through.

A trail across Czechia from north to south

At the end of March, a new book describing and mapping the new North and South trail line – the long-distance cross-border trails of the Via Czechia project – will be published. The new connecting trail called Across Czechia represents the third longest hiking and pilgrimage trail of Via Czechia.

The route through the centre of Bohemia goes from the northernmost to southernmost point of Czechia, passing through picturesque towns primarily alongside the Vltava River. The basic hiking version of the Trail Across Czechia is 569 kilometres long and it is divided into 27 day stages with an average length of 20 to 25 kilometres, with accommodation available along the way. The cycling version is 540 kilometres long and can be completed in about 10 days.

Unique and once-in-a-lifetime Kvantario – the most modern sci-fi and VR park in the country

The town of Benešov will finish the unique Kvantario entertainment project at the beginning of 2022, and it will be a great place in which to spend a weekend. The largest and most modern sci-fi and virtual reality in the country provides a unique opportunity to visit a global exhibition of modern technology in countless entertainment sectors.

The one-of-a-kind atmosphere is completed by an unbelievable 99 light and virtual installations. Kvantario will take you to space or under the sea, on a safari tour, to the streets of world cities or on a flight in a hot-air balloon above wilderness. In the end you will treat yourself to a unique virtual reality adventure and travel back in time, for example, to the age of dinosaurs. All this on five storeys across an area over 9,999 m².

Archevita – Through the Traces of Ages exposition to open in the Roztoky museum

At the end of April, the Central Bohemian Museum in Roztoky near Prague have opened a unique, multimedia archaeological exposition, entitled Archevita – Through the Traces of Ages.

Visitors have the opportunity to experience history with all their senses, to meet an auroch, to see how an axe was made or how people once traded. Projections, holograms and virtual reality will immerse you into the exposition. Test your knowledge or build a house. Who would not want to experience the times from the stone age to the early middle ages?

Find out how a pyramid of bones is built in the Kutná Hora ossuary

The Kutná Hora ossuary in Sedlec, where you can watch a pyramid of bones being built, will be an attractive place to visit in spring. It will all take place as a part of the long-term reconstruction of the unique monument, which has been going on for several years.

The pyramid was taken apart in 2019 due to the static instability of the unique landmark, and its rebuilding, demanding in terms of procedure and finances, is planned in 2022.

At present, the internal wooden construction is being prepared and the bone encasing should start in April. Visitors to the ossuary will be able to watch the conservationists at work. The pyramid should be completed in the second half of the year.

Timber rafting to be inscribed by UNESCO

Timber rafting as a commercial means of transport might no longer exist, but the tradition continues. This not only includes raft construction, but also the art of navigating a river and the specific culture, customs and folklore reflected in timber rafting songs and slang. The first mention of timber rafting on the Vltava River dates back to the 11th century.

Timber rafting gradually died out due to the railway. A definite end befell timber rafting with the Vltava cascade water reservoirs. If everything goes well, timber rafting could be inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the end of the year.

It was nominated as a joint initiative of Czechia, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, Austria and Spain. The same list proudly also includes falconry, Czech Shrovetide festivals and the art of indigo blue printing.