How shops will operate in Czechia on the 28 September holiday

On 28 September, Czechia marks Czech Statehood Day, and under the 2016 law on shop opening hours, all retail outlets with a sales area of more than 200 square metres must stay closed that day. Exceptions apply only to certain shops at train stations and airports, petrol stations, and pharmacies.

So it's worth doing any essential shopping in advance — on Sunday, 27 September — since large supermarkets and shopping centres will be closed all day on the holiday itself.

Which holidays fall under the ban

The law on shop opening hours still confuses many Czechs, because the trading ban doesn't apply to every public holiday. The ban covers: 1 January (Restoration of Independent Czech State Day and New Year's Day), Easter Monday, 8 May (Victory Day), 28 September (Czech Statehood Day), 28 October (Independent Czechoslovak State Day), and both Christmas days — 25 and 26 December.

On Good Friday, 1 May (Labour Day), 5 July (Saints Cyril and Methodius Day), 6 July (the day Jan Hus was burned at the stake) and 17 November (Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day), however, shops can operate as usual. On 24 December, Christmas Eve, trading is allowed only until 12:00.

Who the holiday honours

Czech Statehood Day commemorates the death of Saint Wenceslas, one of the first rulers from the Přemyslid dynasty. The prince, who lived in the early 10th century, helped christianize the early Czech state. Although his reign was relatively short, after his martyrdom a cult grew up around him as the protector and patron of the country.

Read also: Are Shops Open in Czechia on Public Holidays?

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz