In the 14th century King Wenceslas IV moved his court from Prague Castle to a palace he had built on the site now occupied by the Municipal House, It remained the seat of the Czech kings until late in the 15th century. A chequered history followed for this particular spot of the Stare Obecni darn, a Czech extravaganza Mesto; first there was a seminary on the site then, much later, a barracks and after that a school for cadets.
At the beginning of this century the place was cleared and between 1906 and 1912 the Municipal House was built. This extravagant monument to art nouveau was designed by Antonin Balariek and Osvald Polivka. A host of artists contributed to both the exterior and interior decoration of the building although much of the ornamental decoration on the façade is the work of K Novak. Also on the façade is a mosaic entitled ‘Homage to Prague’ by K Spillar and a group of statues by L Saloun. Figures wearing folk costume are shown in relief medallions on the sides of the building. The interior of the Municipal House is now a palatial community centre. At the centre of all this is the large Smetana Concert Hall decorated with sculptures by Novak and allegories of Czech dances by Saloun. The wall paintings symbolising the dramatic arts are by Spillar. The Mayor’s Hall is decorated with paintings by Alfons Mucha, an artist who designed a Pavilion for the Paris World Exhibition of 1900. Each room in the Municipal House has some kind of painting or adornment by leading artists of the time; The café even boasts a fountain, which was designed by J Pekarek.
The building has witnessed several scenes of importance in modern Czech history: the most momentous was the founding of the independent state of Czechoslovakia in October 1918.
Nearby:
City of Prague Museum
Well-presented displays covering all aspects of the city’s history. Period furniture, costumes, pottery, painted house signs, photographs, jewellery and much else besides. Everyone is impressed by A Langweil’s vast model of the city dating from the 1820s and 1830s. Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 to 17.00 hrs.
Museum of Decorative Arts
This fascinating exhibition of Czech crafts covers bookbinding, glass making, clocks, pottery, furniture and porcelain, along with other fascinating exhibits.
Postal Museum
The history of Czech communications plus postage stamps from all over Europe. Open: Tuesday to Sunday 09.00 to 17.00 hrs.