The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

New political era|Petr Pavel’s election as the next Czech president promises to usher in a new era at Prague Castle. From the reorganization of the presidential office to the head of state’s attitude to international relations, Pavel wants to profoundly change the status quo. What are his attributions, and what should we expect after his inauguration on March 9? Read more in our analysis.

New online marketplace|The German Kaufland supermarket chain is bringing the online Kaufland Global Marketplace to the Czech Republic, as well as Slovakia, according to Czech Crunch. The online marketplace, which is open to third-party merchants, currently has 32 million visitors per month, with 45 million products on offer in 5,000 categories.

Dry February|Although Czechia is unlikely to lose its place at the top of beer-drinking countries anytime soon, the sober-curious movement is gaining traction, together with the general trend toward imbibing low-alcohol cocktails. For instance, non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beer has seen a sharp rise in recent years, accounting for 10 percent of the alcohol market. Read more in our article.

Walking tour of Žižkov|Put on your walking shoes this Sunday and discover the architectural wonders of the lower part of the Žižkov district, as well as the local Bethlehem Chapel, during a tour organized by the Open House Praha non-profit organization. Read more in our article.

Valentine's lights|Žluté lázně, a historic spa area with a 100-year-old history on Prague’s Vltava river has added 50 new exhibits to its outdoor light display this week, just in time for Valentine's Day. Additionally, a photo booth has been added for date-night appeal. Read more in our article.

Castle restitution|The Czech Supreme Court rejected the appeal of the heiress of the Walderode noble family, who was seeking the return of the Hrubý Rohozec Castle in Turnov, and of the surrounding land, according to ČTK. The Walderode family lost their properties in the Czech Republic following the Beneš decrees. The town of Turnov is a party to the proceedings. 

Czech Press Photo winners|The best recent journalism photos from Czech and Slovak photographers can now be seen at the National Museum in the 34th Czech Press Photo exhibit. An international jury of experts chose a photo of the Bucha massacre in Ukraine by Vojtěch Dárvík Máca as Photo of the Year 2022. See some of the winners in our article.

Winter's half|The U.S. celebration of Groundhog Day, which falls every year on Feb. 2, has another name in the Czech Republic: Hromnice. The day occurs halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox and comes with several pagan and magical elements, including beliefs that noisy spring cleaning can scare away winter spirits, and that the weather today is correlated to the coming of spring and the harvest.

Brno Philharmonic tours U.S.| After almost 50 years, the Brno Philharmonic will embark on a tour of the U.S. featuring U.S. composer Philip Glass and musician Laurie Anderson, according to the Czech Radio. The program includes Czech music, such as three symphonies composed by Antonín Dvořák symphonies, and several works of Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů.