Dědictví aneb Kurvahošigutntag

Dědictví aneb Kurvahošigutntag is a dark Czech comedy.  It was released in 1992 Czechoslovakia and it is a cult classic here in Czechland.  Probably in Slovakia too.   

In English, the title translates to The Inheritance of Fuckoffguysgoodday.  

Just based off the title I should have know I was going to be in trouble.

The movie is about Bohuš, a lazy village guy who loves to drink and doesn't do much else.  He then inherits a large estate and fortune.  The film satirises post-communist Czechoslovakia.  

The movie has some rough edges and there's a lot of vulgar humour.  I watched the film without, English or Czech, subtitles and I really struggled.  There's a lot of dated slang and cultural references that just went over my head.  I watched the whole thing but I doubt I'll be watching it again any time soon.

Here's the movie trailer that I found on YouTube.

©Dvdpremierycz

Dům U Tří Knížat

Dům U Tří Knížat, "The House of the Three Princes", is a historic building in Brno's city centre. 

The gothic cellars date back to the 14th century.  The house above was rebuilt and expanded over the yeas with the current building from the 19th century.

There was an older building, U Tří knížat, that was located nearby.  The older building was demolished in 1874 but locals kept using the name and it became associated with the new building.

The building is both a commercial and residential building.  Yesterday we stopped by for a burčák.  

The building is also home to the honorary Polish consulate.

Frankfurt Business Trip

This week was another business trip to Frankfurt, Germany.  From Brno it's about a seven hour drive to Frankfurt.

David, Slavek, Martin, and I were there for three days of customer meetings.  Fun, fun, fun.  

It was a productive trip but it felt so good to get back home and to sleep in my own bed.

Mendel Walking Tour

Last weekend we did the Gregor Johann Mendel in Brno self-paced walking tour published by the Tourist Information Centre.

The tour is about 7,5 km (4.5 miles) and takes 2,5 to 4 hours depending if you add museum visits or not.  The tour connects sites across the city associated with Gregor Johann Mendel, the father of modern genetics, and his life in Brno.

At Mendlovo náměstí (Mendel Square) is the Augustinian Abbey.  In 1843, he joined the monastery as a novice and lived there for more than 40 years.

The abbey sits between the Mendel Museum and the basilica.

After Mendel completed his theology studies in 1848, he served as a pastor for sick people at St. Anne's Hospital. 

At Šilingrovo náměstí is the Barceló hotel.  A very nice, posh hotel that opened in 2012.  The building used to be called the Municipal Courtyard where Mendel hosted meetings and lectures as vice-chairman of the Natural Science Society.

Mendel regularly contributed to the Moravian Academy of Sciences which was housed in Bishop's Court.

After he was ordained as a priest, Mendel gave his first church service at St. Michael's Church, at Dominikánské náměstí on 15 August 1847.

The New Town Hall was one of the places where Mendel participated in flower exhibitions as part of the Agricultural Society.

Mendel was a chief advisor and judge for horticultural exhibitions of the Agricultural Society.  In the 1860s many of these exhibitions were held in the Reduta Theatre.

Mendel taught physics and natural history for 14 years at the German State High School.

There's a plaque on the building in Czech, English, and German.

He gave many presentations at the German Technical University that was established in 1849.  Today it is part of Masaryk University.

In 1881, Mendel served as director of the Moravian Mortgage Bank which was headquartered at the Moravian Land Assembly.  Today the building is the seat of the Czech Constitutional Court.

Near the Bishop's Court is Mendelianum.  The premises used to be home to the Agricultural Society where Mendel was an active member.  Mendelianum presents modern genetics with other branches of science.

Lužánky Park opened in 1786 and is one of the first public parks in Central Europe.  Mendel participated in gardening exhibitions here.

Mendel is buried in the Augustinian Tomb at the Central Cemetery.  I still haven't made it out to the Central Cemetery but it's still on my list.

While we were at the New Town Hall we say some people who were protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Я за Україну. Я за Україною. Слава Україні  Stojím za Ukrajinou!  I stand with Ukraine. 

Mahenův památník

Mahenův památník, (the Mahen Memorial), is a museum-library / cultural centre dedicated to Jiří Mahen.  Jiří Mahen was a well-known novelist, playwright, and journalist.  

Mahen was the first director of the Brno Municipal Library and the Brno's Mahen Theatre is named after him.

The centre is located in the first-Republic villa where he lived from 1935 until he passed away in 1939.

The memorial was established in 1992.  There was a major renovation and it reopened in March 2019.  Officially it is a branch of the Jiří Mahen Library, which is the biggest public library in Moravia and the second largest in Czechland.

On the first floor, (the ground floor), is a public library.  The second floor is a museum with a reconstructed study. 

The attic is used as an exhibition room for lectures and other events. 

Mahen believed that libraries were a cultural hub.  In keeping with this the centre offers lectures, author readings, theatre performances, creative writing workshops and educational programmes for schools and community groups.

I found out that Jiří Mahen was actually born in 1882 as Antonín Vančura.  When he was around 19 years old, he took "Jiří Maheu" as a literary pen name but the there was a printing mistake and he was published as "Jiří Mahen" but he liked the way the misprinted version sounded and he decided to keep it.  It's kind of funny to me that so many things in Brno bear his misprinted pseudonym.  I guess things work out sometimes for the better.

Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady

The Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady is 700 years old and located next to the Mendel Museum. 

The church was built between 1323 and 1134.  

Queen Elizabeth Richeza, the widow of King Václav II, was the key patron for the church's construction.

In 1987, Pope John Paul II designated the church as a minor basilica. 

On the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, every 15 August, there's a pilgrimage that ends at the basilica honouring the Virgin Mary as the Protector of Brno.

Mendel Museum

On Saturday, we visited the Mendel Museum which is a science and history museum dedicated to Gregor Johann Mendel, the father of modern genetics.  A local Brno boy.

The museum is located in the Augustinian Abbey of St. Thomas where Mendel lived and conducted his experiments.  

It opened in 2002 and since 2007 it is a part of Masaryk University.

Since the museum is located in the Abbey, you also get to visit the monastery garden, the abbey's 18th-century Baroque library and the basilica.

Last year, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Mendel's birth, the city unveiled Hrachovina (Peas), across from the museum.  The large bronze sculpture celebrates Mendel's genetic experiments.

Dinner with the Boss

Last night, Kája and I were invited for dinner with David, Zuzka, and the kids.   

I had told Kája that we were going to my boss's house for dinner.  He must have had something from the 1950s in his mind because he was thinking that we needed to wear suits.

Of course it was nothing that formal.  We had a great time!  

Saxon Heritage in Transylvania Tour

On Sunday we did a Saxon Heritage in Transylvania tour.  The Transylvanian Saxons were German-speaking settlers who lived in Transylvania for about 800 years.  They were invited by Hungarian kings in the 12-13th centuries.  The Saxons were trades and crafts people who helped strengthen Christianity and defended the eastern border of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Siebel was our first stop.  It's a rural village, off about 400 people, in the foothills of the Transylvania Alps.  

The Holy Trinity Church is an Orthodox church built in 1765 and it's a registered historic landmark.  There's a small cemetery adjacent to the courtyard.

Next to the church is the Museum of Icons on Glass.  It opened in the 1960s and has one of the largest collections of glass painted icons in Romania.

Fântânele is a nearby small village of about 250 people.  It's small but it's a nice place for a walk.

The Saint Nicholas Church was built in 1771 and is a registered historic monument.  

The hill next to the church is a cemetery and there's a nice view of the local area from the top.

Sibiu is about 170 km (105 miles) from Cluj.  The city is home to about 134.000 people.  It used to be known as Hermanstadt and it's the capital of the historic region of Transylvania. 

The Lutheran Cathedral of Our Lady in Sibiu was built in the 14th -16th centuries.

The Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity was built in the 18th century and is considered one of the most important Baroque churches in Transylvania.

The Thalia Hall opened in 1788 and it is home to the Sibiu State Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Carpenter's Tower is part of the city's historic fortifications.

Sibiu was a lovely city but unfortunately we only had a couple of hours to visit after lunch.  I'm definitely up for a weekend trip to Sibiu to properly explore.