Diving Czech-style

It’s easy to locate the pavilion of the Czech Republic at Expo 2015. It is characterised by a large swimming pool right in front of the entrance and an imposing, half machine, half bird sculpture. This work doesn’t just have an aesthetic value, it also has a meaning: it is a symbol of the country’s capacity to make nature and technological innovation meet, an extremely focal theme in the entire Czech exhibition area.

The swimming pool instead, particularly during the hottest days in the summer, was a regenerating destination, especially for younger visitors to the World Fair. Even in this case, however, it is more than an ornament or an entertainment. Water is indeed another essential element in the Czech pavilion.

This country has no access to the sea, so this refers to the large rivers crossing it as well as to the thermal waters of which the Czech Republic is very rich. Finally, there’s a rooted tradition of swimming-pool-building, which was mostly developed in the Thirties. The Czech Republic is also a leader in the production of technologies for water purification and it is no coincidence that the sculpture dominating the swimming pool includes nanotechnologies that purify the water in the fountain below.

The attention to technological progress inside the exhibition is very strong: the Czech Republic chose to present visitors of Expo its rich agricultural and food tradition and most of all its capacity to become, over the years, a leader in some specific fields.

Across the two floors in which the pavilion is structured, the results of the institutes of biochemical research applied to the environment, to human and animal health and to the production of safe food are thus presented. Back to water, it is important to underline that the Czech Republic has had a major role in the production of technologies to purify this essential element in our lives, giving a remarkable impulse to drinking water projects in Africa, Asia and wherever this is scarce.

The playful and enjoyable side of the pavilion is, however, remarkable. So on top of being able to dip into the pool, visitors can sit on its edge and enjoy the drink that best represents this country, namely České pivo (Czech beer). The city of Plzeň is indeed one of the global beer icons and it is right from there that refrigerated tanks of unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell arrive multiple times each week, so that people can appreciate their most precious characteristics.

The restaurant offer in the pavilion of the Czech Republic is also very structured. On the ground floor there’s a self-service where you can taste some local classics such as Goulash or Kulajda Soup (made with mushrooms and potatoes), while on the second floor there’s the more refined Hunter’s cabin. This second restaurant celebrates game and its very important role in Czech gastronomy, offering rich dishes such as Roasted venison with honey and mustard, Pheasant cutlet with Cumberland sauce or Roe deer with canine rose berries and Czech dumplings.