UPDATE: since filming this, the Funicular has been taken out of service, and it won't be back until at least 2026. In the meantime, the best alternative routes to the Great Strahov are:

- For the full experience: historic tram 23 (regular fare) to Královka, or historic tram 42 (special fare) to Dlabačov. Both of these tram stops are a short walk from the stadium and were used by crowds back in the day.
- Bus 176 to Stadion Strahov from Švandovo divadlo (a 5 minute walk from the lower Funicular station, goes every 12 minutes)
- Walk straight up the hill (should take roughly 30 minutes)

Big thank you to viewers from Prague for the updated info!

As a Czech, I really appreciate your sense of detail. All the history was explained perfectly.

"Czech Republic. Incredible things on top of hills" should be the Czech Republic's New marketing campaign.

I was on the production team of that Stones concert in 1990, and worked at the stadium for a couple of weeks before to get it ready. The Rolling Stones had been invited by the newly-minted President Vaclav Havel personally, and their motivation for acceptance (because, according to lore, they waived their performance fee) was bragging rights for playing the largest stadium in the world. In the event, because of the shape, we built temporary barriers that fanned out from the wings of the stage to the seats, which meant a good number of the seats behind the barriers and stage were not used ("seat kills", in trade parlance). So while it was a monster of a show, it came nowhere near the stadium's full capacity (although the audience also stood in the unencumbered part of the field as well as occupying the available fixed seating).
I still have a copy of the technical rider from the show somewhere: I seem to recall the management company had inserted the surprising requirement for "party favors" and a "fugu chef" to be provided for the backstage area. This was a test to ensure that the local promoter actually read the rider -- akin to Van Halen's famous "brown M&Ms" stricture.
And yes, Tim: it was a hell of a gig.

I guess the lesson here is, when you claim a stadium is "the size of 9 football pitches" someone is gonna be tempted to buy it out, and divide it up so it's literally 9x football pitches.

I am afraid I have to bring bad news (as a local from Prague):
Heavy rains at the end of the summer of 2024 damaged the already old funicular beyond feasible quick repair and it has been decommisioned. The whole thing will be reconstructed, but until (at least) 2026, there is absolutely no service and no replacement service has been provided. You can still get to Strahov stadium, but its gonna be more bothersome and youll either have to use a bus from non-centre parts of Prague or walk up the Petřín hill.

before the discovery of safety, fuckin classic!

The Czechs were doing some wild stuff in the interwar period. Largest concrete arches in the world in a power station; an office built into an industrial elevator (complete with telephone and toilet). Definitely something in the beer there, after that Bavarian fella fixed it for them.

me: what an obscure thing!
halfway though the video: realizing I work next door to a Sokol cultural center LOL

linguistic pedantry corner: 7:06 - Slet - while "festival" may be a good-enough translation, I think it does not do complete justice to the word.
"letět" means "to fly" (with the "-ět" being the infinitive suffix; "let" is the root  --> letadlo = aircraft, let = flight, letuška = stewardess,...)
And the Czech word for congress/gathering is "sjezd" (jezdit = ride/(travel)).
So basically, since they are Sokols (falcons), they don't ride, but fly, thus the word "slet" (gathering of birds :))

As Treebeard would say: 'tis a gathering.

Tim, I hope you show us the 18th Sokol Slet in 2028!

Woo, 10 golden pedantry points!

i'm czech and didn't actually know its sokol origins, thanks! my mum was poised to attend the last spartakiáda in 89 when she was 14, but she got ill and was really sad about missing it.

also, pedantry corner: "slet" doesnt really mean a flock. it's hard to translate exactly, since czech uses a lot more affixes, but the root word is "let" which means flight, and the "s-" prefix means together, so a "gathering that flew down" is the closest to the exact meaning.

And if you look to the North, there are TWO large tram stations, Královka and Dlabačov. Those are built for the Strahov to make sure people could there in those numbers.

12:15 I read 6 out of the 7 bullet points. Dont have time to read the last point. For my effort, I will award myself 8 golden pedantry points.

Next to my school in Croatia was a Sokol centre with a small stadium. I remember we used to say: Let's go to Sokol and play soccer. Never thought anything of that name. Sokol means falcon in Croatian too, but thanks to you I know the history now too

Ah, Strahov. I had the (mis)fortune of living in the dorms next to it for a year. They look about as bad as the stadium.

I love how Andrew at 12:02 when leaving the stadium is doing an arms only dance that is basically just pointing in random directions, which he is an expert at ofc.

I am sorry, but here in the Netherlands, we do have to report the video for inappropriate language 😂😂

After Tom Scott and Michael from Vsauce disappeared, we at least still have the Tim Traveller :)