The Czech Chata

By Adrian Barek

Do you ever ride the metro after work on Friday and wonder about all the people hauling massive backpacks? Ever notice how every third car on a Friday afternoon has bikes on the roof, children in the back seat, and luggage piled to the windows? Ever notice how this scenario is repeated on Sunday afternoon?

These sights are part of the weekend exodus from Prague. City slickers in the Czech Republic possess a keen desire to get away from it all when time permits, usually on the weekend. But where do they go? Chances are they’re heading to the family cottage, or chata, as it is known in Czech.  

The culture of escaping city life began around the same time many country folk were moving to cities in search of work. It was not until the closed borders of communism prevented Czechs from seeking a respite from the daily grind abroad, however, that chata culture blossomed into the near-religious institution it is today. Outside Prague and across the country, there are many rural regions that provide the green setting prized by urban-weary Czechs.

Communist restrictions on property ownership were not as strict in rural areas as they were in the city, so many Czechs looked to the countryside for property. Buying property was the first step but building a chata was another matter entirely. Building materials were scarce because, to quote my father, a Czech now living in Canada, ‘there were no Home Depots in those days.’ Many a chata were subject to makeshift construction by their owners, a few of who were known to steal the lumber and other materials they needed from public buildings.

In the past, a chata was a very basic dwelling without plumbing or electricity. Many have been upgraded but most are still humble affairs equipped with the bare essentials. More important than the structure itself is the role a chata plays in Czech family life.  A scattered family will often converge on the same chata for weekends or holidays. Children, teens, adults, and of course dogs are all part of the chata experience. Walking, hiking, and biking are the favored pursuits of the warmer months with various snow sports taking the spotlight during the winter.

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