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|  | | Prague Easter markets » 24th March-15th April 2012:
The Prague Easter markets display handcrafted goods, all manner of food and drink, and showcase the wonderful old customs of a traditional Czech Easter - Easter photos. |
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Prague Easter Markets 2012
The Prague Easter markets run daily from 24th March-15th April 2012 at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Over 100 stalls stock a variety of handcrafted products; wooden toys, Czech crystal and glass-ware,
jewellery, metal-ware, candles, embroidered cloth, and beautifully dressed puppets and dolls. The most common sight is brightly coloured, hand-painted Easter eggs, which Czech ladies dressed in traditional costume may even personalise for you, by painting on a name or special message. | | |
The Prague Easter markets are not just about shopping though. The tastes and smells are equally enticing, with terribly
unhealthy, but wonderfully tasty barbecued sausages and ice-cold
Pilsner beer on sale. Several stalls also have large hams roasting on spits.
Plus there is a variety of traditional Czech sweets to try, like 'Trdelnik', a hot sugary coated pastry.
Stages erected at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square host school folk groups and dancers, who travel from all over the Czech Republic to perform. | | | | |
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The Easter Markets for Children
A wooden cabin at the Old Town Square runs workshops for children. Your little ones can join in creating Easter decorations: making Easter chickens, painting eggs and flower pots, and other activities.
The children's cabin is called 'Detska Staromestska Dilnicka'.
There is also a farm pen next to the children's cabin, with sheep, goats and rabbits to stroke. | | | How to make the most of the Easter MarketsPrague's city centre is compact - ideal for pedestrians. Book a hotel in Prague 1 (city centre) or Prague 2 (fringes of the city centre), and you can easily walk anywhere in the city centre. The Easter Markets are free to enter, so you can leave your hotel at any time and be in the midst of things in minutes. Grab a drink, soak up the atmosphere, and when you're ready for a shower it's just a short walk home - Prague hotelsWe recommend buying a ticket for a classical music concert in a church or concert hall. There are some wonderful performances at this time of year - Prague concertsSightseeing in Prague in spring is a joy. From walking tours to coach tours to river cruises, there is a means for everyone to discover this beautiful city - Prague sightseeing
For a perfect Prague city break we recommend our Prague Package City Break
For weather, currency exchange and other useful information: Prague Tourist Information | |
Origins of the
Easter Markets in Prague
The Prague Easter markets go back to a period long before the communist era and were deeply tied to religious festivities. Under
communism they suffered a demise, as religious aspects were banned and Easter celebrations were limited to the welcoming of spring.
Since the fall of communism, the Prague Easter Markets have enjoyed a renaissance. Czechs and tourists now come to browse the stalls and to take in the special atmosphere. | | | | | | To help visitors understand the
traditions on display at the markets in Prague, we offer an insight
into a traditional Czech Easter, as celebrated in the towns and villages across the country. Easter is an exciting
time of year, particularly for Czech children. | | | | Easter
Preparations
Children finish school
on "Ugly Wednesday." The following day ("Green Thursday") boys equip themselves with wooden rattles, called "rehtacka". They then form a group and walk through their local village or town, shaking their rattles vigorously. This, as tradition dictates, scares off
Judas.
This walk is repeated on "Good Friday" and
then once more on "White Saturday". On Saturday, progress is slowed by the boys
stopping at every house and
shaking their rattles until they receive a present! |
| | Easter
Sunday
The greatest symbol
of Easter is the egg, with its connections of spring
and new life. On Easter Sunday, the girls and women of the village paint eggs ("kraslice"). This is a skilled affair with many variations on the decoration; usually a mixture of watercolours, picture stickers, bee's wax, straw and/or feathers.
For particularly well decorated eggs there is even an Easter egg contest held annually in Prague. | |
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| |  | | As girls paint their Easter eggs, the boys prepare their Easter whips ("pomlázka"), ready for Easter Monday. This is not the kind of whip used on horses, but is made from osier twigs, braided together. Once again, this takes some skill to make and the more twigs, the more difficult it is to braid a whip.
Visitors may see examples of these Easter whips in the Prague Markets, should they wish to participate!
Easter Monday
On Easter Monday people get up early. The boys and men set off on a whipping trip through the village. |
| | Boys stop at people’s homes and whip the legs of every girl and woman who live in the house.
Small boys are required to recite an Easter carol as they go about their whipping.
As if the whipping is not enough, a popular custom is also to grab the girl and throw her in a bath of cold water, known as an "Easter dousing". The whipping and dousing is performed to chase away illness and bad spirits. They may not appreciate it at the time, but it is actually good for the girl! | |
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| | | | Once all the whipping and
dousing is over, the girl, strangely enough, rewards
the boy with one of her painted eggs. She then ties a ribbon around his whip and he moves on to the next house.
As the boys progress through the village, their
bags fill with eggs and the whips become more and more colourful, with many bright ribbons.
For older boys, the gifts of eggs and ribbons
have latterly given way to the man being offered a shot of alcohol.
By the time they arrive home, the men can be
fairly happy! |
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 EASTER 2012
KEY FACTS |
Easter 2012
06 April-09 April 12 |
Easter Markets
24 March-15 April 12
Daily 09h-20h | What's open
In addition to the Easter markets, there is sightseeing and entertainment to enjoy every day.
Restaurants, bars and cafés open daily.
Opera houses, concert halls and theatres run daily performances.
Many shops and attractions open every day, although some close or open limited hours on Easter Monday. |
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