Meet four who make Czechs proud
Among an elite group of famous women are a tennis player, an architect, a fashion designer, and an opera singer, but do you know what they all have in common? They are all Czech! Let us introduce you to them:
Petra Kvitová
No. 2 in the WTA rankings in 2011, two victories at Wimbledon, Gold at the WTA Finals, bronze in the singles at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and several Fed Cup Championships…who hasn’t heard of Petra Kvitová, one of the world’s most successful tennis players? So how about visiting the place where she spent her childhood and – in yellow sweatpants with a racket bigger than she was – began her tennis journey? Head to Fulnek, where at the Petra Kvitová Hall of Fame, you’ll have the opportunity to admire the personal belongings of the “Czech lioness” as well as a unique collection of trophies from the world’s most famous tournaments, including the Wimbledon plate!
Eva Jiřičná
When you visit the Royal Garden of Prague Castle, you’ll be captivated by the handsome building of the Orangery. It was designed by prominent Czech architect Eva Jiřičná. The characteristic style of the Zlín native, whose most famous clients include Lloyd’s of London, Hugo Boss and Kenzo, is also evident in other places in Prague, including the interiors of the Dancing House and the Gothic Church of St Anna. You can completely surround yourself with Jiřičná’s design: Book a night in the Hotel Josef in the heart of Prague, the first-ever design hotel in the former Eastern Bloc countries.
Blanka Matragi
Perhaps as a little girl, every woman draws princesses in beautiful dresses. Blanka Matragi is still doing it today, but she has become a world-renowned fashion designer and even royalty has fallen in love with her creations! The native of Světlá nad Sázavou has worked in Prague and Lebanon, where she opened the Blanka Haute Couture fashion salon in Beirut in 1982. If her fashion doesn’t fit your wardrobe, you can at least admire it at the Timeless retrospective exhibition in the Art Nouveau Municipal House in Prague.
Magdalena Kožená
“Lady Rattle”; this title belongs to the Czech opera singer Magdalena Kožená. Why? Because her husband is the British conductor Sir Simon Rattle, whom she married in her native Brno. The famous mezzo-soprano has many more titles. She won the Mozart Music Competition in Salzburg, which launched her successful career. She has also appeared several times at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and in 2003, she was made Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in France. Let yourself be carried away by the beauty of her voice at this year’s Prague Spring International Festival. The diva will perform at the beautiful Rudolfinum in Prague.
