News

The international gathering of mounted police units, a long-standing fixture marking the end of summer in Ostrava, began somewhat unconventionally this year. At the very start of the event, the Mayor of Ostrava, Jan Dohnal, appeared before the audience astride a white stallion. Riding alongside him on a black horse was the Director of the Ostrava Municipal Police, Miroslav Plaček. Their unexpected entrance was met with enthusiastic applause and admiring glances from the crowd.

This Saturday, 30 August 2025, Komenského sady will once again host the 27th edition of the popular International Mounted Police Meeting. Visitors can look forward to captivating demonstrations of teamwork between rider and horse, presented by mounted police units from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Germany. Admission is free.

Grossmann Villa, often referred to as Ostrava’s architectural jewel after its recently completed restoration, is preparing to enchant visitors with newly furnished interiors. This autumn and next spring, the villa will be enriched with period-appropriate furniture, carpets, textiles, and decorative elements—exceptional pieces showcasing true master craftsmanship.

The celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the renewed partnership between Ostrava and Dresden began on 15 August 2025 with a symbolic relay run. From Prokeš Square in Ostrava, eight endurance runners from the MK Seitl Ostrava club set off on a 500-kilometre journey to our German partner city. 

Until the end of August, Ostrava will host the 13th biennale of the Ostrava Days festival, dedicated to contemporary classical music in all its forms. Nearly 200 musicians from across the globe are taking part in this year’s edition. A key element of the festival is the Ostrava Days Institute, a creative hub nurturing the next generation of composers.

From 11 to 15 August, Ostrava’s streets and squares will once again come alive with music, dance, and vibrant traditional costumes during the 27th edition of the popular Folklore Without Borders festival. This year, more than 100 performers from the Czech Republic and abroad will share their traditions, with guests arriving from Lithuania, France, Armenia, Croatia, and Ecuador. 

Ostrava University Hospital has completed a full reconstruction of its Department of Dentistry. From September, the newly renovated premises on the second floor of the Polyclinic will also be used by students of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ostrava. For the city of Ostrava, which has long supported the study of dentistry in the Moravian-Silesian metropolis, this is welcome news.

Cycling enthusiasts in Ostrava can now enjoy 307 km of marked cycle paths and routes (as of 31 December 2024), with the network growing every year through new construction and repairs to existing paths. The city’s goal is to create a direct, connected, attractive and safe cycling infrastructure for all users.

A long-anticipated project in Ostrava-Poruba is finally becoming a reality. A new underground parking garage will be built on Budovatelská Street in the coming years, providing 116 car spaces in an area where parking has long been in short supply.

One of Ostrava’s most popular destinations for both residents and tourists, the Ema slag heap, has recently undergone improvements to enhance accessibility and visitor comfort. The conical hill, a former coal mining spoil tip, offers a unique panoramic view of the city. 

During the Colours of Ostrava event, Ostrava once again proved itself to be an educated, creative and inspiring city. A unique joint stage UniverCity Ostrava!!! was created in the space of the international discussion forum Meltingpot. It was a joint work of the city of Ostrava, the University of Ostrava and VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava.

On Thursday, 10 July 2025, the 18th Ostrava edition of the Summer Shakespeare Festival will commence at the premises of Silesian Ostrava Castle, opening at 8:30 p.m. with the lively comedy Twelfth Night. Until 9 August 2025, the audience in Ostrava will have the opportunity to witness a total of eight immortal plays penned by the greatest playwright in the world, performed by outstanding theatre ensembles.

The eleventh edition of the Beats for Love festival, held from 2 to 5 July in the (post-)industrial complex of Dolní Vítkovice, concluded with a phenomenal success. The showcase of premier electronic dance music, accompanied by original new visuals, attracted a total of 164,000 visitors. This represents a new attendance record for the entire festival.

In the unique (post-)industrial setting of Dolní Vítkovice, the 11th edition of Beats for Love — the largest dance music festival in Central Europe — kicked off last night. From the very start, it introduced visitors to an entirely new visual concept for the festival grounds. Until 5 July, when Beats for Love comes to a close, more than 550 performers will appear across 18 stages. Among them are both international stars and emerging talents from the electronic music scene.

On 24 June 2025, the 64th edition of the prestigious international athletics meeting, the Golden Spike, took place at the Municipal Stadium in Ostrava-Vítkovice. Once again, the very best of the queen of sports disciplines were on display, with several records being broken. The meeting also received an enthusiastic public response, with tickets sold out in advance.

As of Tuesday, June 10, 2025, the renovated rooftop running track at the Faculty of Education building of the University of Ostrava (OU) has reopened to the public. Located in the City Campus complex, the upgraded track now features a new surface that offers greater comfort, weather resistance, and minimal maintenance—providing a more user-friendly experience for both casual and athletic use.

The international urban and architectural competition for the design of Ostrava’s future Žofinka district concluded with an unusual result: two proposals were awarded first place. The jury deemed both designs of equal quality, granting the top prize jointly to the Prague-based studio Pavel Hnilička Architects+Planners and the Danish studio ADEPT, which competed alongside Czech partners atelier.tečka, VEN.KU architekti, ohboi studio, and transport experts VECTURA Pardubice.

On 12 and 13 June 2025, the international jury reconvened, led by the renowned Irish architect Valerie Mulvin, to take another significant step towards the final design of the much-anticipated New Bazaly football stadium.

The largest dance music festival in Central Europe, Beats for Love, is entering a new decade with bigger ambitions than ever before. Taking place from July 2–5, 2025 in Ostrava’s iconic Lower Vítkovice district, this year’s edition promises unforgettable experiences, exclusive world premieres, and a spectacular atmosphere under the theme “Beats for Love Universe.”