Ctěnický háj is located on the north-eastern outskirts of Prague, on the border between Prague and Central Bohemia. However, the sophisticated development of individual houses and smaller apartment buildings has practically removed this demarcation and public transport also fully covers the needs of the neighbouring village of Přezletice.
The border separating the capital city from the Central Bohemian Region runs right through this area and most of those who visit here for the first time shake their heads in disbelief as they ask themselves: “Is this really still Prague?”
More than anything else, this place looks like a blue and green island among the fields adjacent to the nearby municipal quarters or villages. The blue colour signifies ponds, lakes and nowadays other water features built on the new golf course. The green is embodied by the ring of woods and forest parks surrounding this part of Prague on almost all sides.
In the direction from the centre you will come across Vinoř Park (also called Satalice Game Preserve), a nature reserve known for its numerous archaeological findings from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. On the other side of this municipal quarter lies Ctěnice Grove, not far from the Central Bohemian village of Přezletice, famous for the discovery of remains and objects attributed to Homo erectus, a type of prehistoric man, who lived here around half a million years BC.
Surprisingly, these two wooded areas have a lot in common. On the edge of each of them, for example, you will see a chateau building: Vinoř Park boasts the former charming residence of the Czernin family, which welcomed many a crowned head under its roof in its time and today serves the needs of the Ministry of the Interior; near Ctěnice Grove there is the Ctěnice Chateau complex with its meticulously maintained park, all belonging to the Museum of the Capital City of Prague. The museum offers several permanent and temporary exhibitions; there is also a café, a restaurant and a hotel. The chateau hosts various cultural and social events.
The unusually undulating terrain of both of the forest areas was created by sandstone bedrock, thanks to which there are many rocks, romantic ravines and other attractive spots. In other words - sheer paradise for lovers of fresh air, greenery and trips to both the nearby and more distant areas. The Renaissance and Baroque sites of Brandýs nad Labem, Stará Boleslav, Lysá nad Labem and Mělník are just a stone's throw away...
The locality - as a part of Prague - naturally comes under the integrated public transport system, which is why it only takes about fifteen minutes to get to Letňany metro station by bus, not to mention the direct connection to the train in Satalice, thanks to which a journey from Vinoř to the centre of Prague is a matter of just half an hour.
A new modern low-energy elementary school with a capacity for 540 pupils will be opened (1 September 2023) in the adjacent Přezletice, a few dozen metres from the Ctěnický háj complex. In neighbouring Vinoř you will also find a modern and ever-expanding elementary school. The health centre in the middle of Vinoř houses most of the standard medical practices. In addition to a number of smaller shops, there is a discount supermarket and a Billa chain store with a DM drugstore and other outlets. These can be found at the end of Vinoř in Mladoboleslavská Street.
Sports lovers can take part in many physical activities at the Vinoř Sokolovna Hall, which also offers access to a football pitch and a tennis court. Moreover, many sports can be pursued in the school gym, especially the ever popular floorball and other ball games. A large golf course is planned for the future.
In the evening, in addition to a stroll through the historic centre of Vinoř - Vinoř Square features a unique Baroque complex of a rectory, granary, church and manor house - you can visit one of the many local restaurants, see a concert at the well-known Hoffman's Court stage or one of the new films screened at the same cultural centre every Tuesday.