The pride of Prague and the whole of the Czech Republic, the National Theater is located on the embankment of the Vltava River, adorning the city with its beauty and grandeur. It is not just a theater, it is a symbol of the Czech renaissance, built on folk donations, which marked the beginning of the development of Czech drama and music. The best Czech actors play their games here, and the premieres are attended by the most influential people in the country.
The history of the theater is full of dramatic events. The middle of the 19th century was a turbulent time for Europe. The historical regions of modern Bohemia were part of the Austrian Empire at that time, the national language was German. The Czechs did not have the opportunity to stage plays in their native language, the theaters belonged to the Austrians, and plays were staged in German and Italian. In the autumn of 1844, at a rally of Czech patriots, the idea of creating their own theater was born.
A year later, the authorities approved the construction, but the revolution that shook the Austrian Empire postponed the beginning of the construction of the theater for six long years. In 1851, a fundraiser was officially announced for the construction of the Czech National Theater. Part of the money was allocated by the state, the rest was donated by aristocrats.
The place for the theater was chosen on the banks of the Vltava, which offers a magnificent view of Prague Castle. Construction began in 1853 and lasted 9 years. It was a modest and beautiful building with 800 seats, designed by Ignac Ulman. The temporary theater existed for 20 years and saw Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana on its stage. The building of the temporary theater has been preserved and is part of the modern theater complex. Now there are technical rooms and a wardrobe. Simultaneously with the construction of the temporary building, work on the project continued.
Young progressive people of that time defended ambitious plans to create a grand building. At the Assembly of 1865, they managed to convince the government, a public competition was announced for the design of a new type of theater. The winner was the project of Professor Josef Zitek.
Finishing work was still going on, and the theater had already opened its doors to Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. The first production was the opera "Libushe", written by Bedrich Smetana. After eleven performances, the theater closed again to complete the finishing work on the roof and appear before the people of Prague in all its glory. While processing the copper dome, the workers used hot coals, which caused a fire. The fire quickly spread to the scaffolding, destroying the new building. The theater stage and the auditorium burned down. The Czech people perceived the fire as a national tragedy.
The determination with which people donated money to restore the theater, raised more than a million zlotys in less than two months. After the restoration of the theater, the famous inscription appeared above the stage: "The nation - to himself. "
The former architect was removed from work, and was replaced by Josef Schultz, a student of Zitek and a supporter of his style. He successfully combined the old building of the Temporary Theater, new buildings and the house behind the theater into a single ensemble. The style of decoration set by Zitek, his student applied to all three buildings of the complex, and the result was a majestic beautiful building, which stood without any changes for a hundred years. The capital reconstruction of the theater, which lasted 6 years, was timed to its centenary and was completed in 1983. The renovated theater has traditionally offered the audience the opera "Libusche".
The National Theater is one of the most beautiful buildings, embodying all the beauty of Prague, its glory and history.
A huge star-blue dome is crowned by a golden crown, which attracts attention with its radiance. The main facade is decorated with statues of the Muses and Apollo, and on the sides are cast bronze winged statues of Victory, driving wild horses. On the waterfront, the theater is decorated with statues of Wagner and Myslbek. The side entrance is decorated with allegories of Drama and Opera. The soft golden-gray colors of the building harmonize with the surrounding houses, and the oval dome easily and solemnly lifts it up, emphasizing its uniqueness and originality.
The history of the theater is full of dramatic events. The middle of the 19th century was a turbulent time for Europe. The historical regions of modern Bohemia were part of the Austrian Empire at that time, the national language was German. The Czechs did not have the opportunity to stage plays in their native language, the theaters belonged to the Austrians, and plays were staged in German and Italian. In the autumn of 1844, at a rally of Czech patriots, the idea of creating their own theater was born.
A year later, the authorities approved the construction, but the revolution that shook the Austrian Empire postponed the beginning of the construction of the theater for six long years. In 1851, a fundraiser was officially announced for the construction of the Czech National Theater. Part of the money was allocated by the state, the rest was donated by aristocrats.
The place for the theater was chosen on the banks of the Vltava, which offers a magnificent view of Prague Castle. Construction began in 1853 and lasted 9 years. It was a modest and beautiful building with 800 seats, designed by Ignac Ulman. The temporary theater existed for 20 years and saw Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana on its stage. The building of the temporary theater has been preserved and is part of the modern theater complex. Now there are technical rooms and a wardrobe. Simultaneously with the construction of the temporary building, work on the project continued.
Young progressive people of that time defended ambitious plans to create a grand building. At the Assembly of 1865, they managed to convince the government, a public competition was announced for the design of a new type of theater. The winner was the project of Professor Josef Zitek.
Finishing work was still going on, and the theater had already opened its doors to Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. The first production was the opera "Libushe", written by Bedrich Smetana. After eleven performances, the theater closed again to complete the finishing work on the roof and appear before the people of Prague in all its glory. While processing the copper dome, the workers used hot coals, which caused a fire. The fire quickly spread to the scaffolding, destroying the new building. The theater stage and the auditorium burned down. The Czech people perceived the fire as a national tragedy.
The determination with which people donated money to restore the theater, raised more than a million zlotys in less than two months. After the restoration of the theater, the famous inscription appeared above the stage: "The nation - to himself. "
The former architect was removed from work, and was replaced by Josef Schultz, a student of Zitek and a supporter of his style. He successfully combined the old building of the Temporary Theater, new buildings and the house behind the theater into a single ensemble. The style of decoration set by Zitek, his student applied to all three buildings of the complex, and the result was a majestic beautiful building, which stood without any changes for a hundred years. The capital reconstruction of the theater, which lasted 6 years, was timed to its centenary and was completed in 1983. The renovated theater has traditionally offered the audience the opera "Libusche".
The National Theater is one of the most beautiful buildings, embodying all the beauty of Prague, its glory and history.
A huge star-blue dome is crowned by a golden crown, which attracts attention with its radiance. The main facade is decorated with statues of the Muses and Apollo, and on the sides are cast bronze winged statues of Victory, driving wild horses. On the waterfront, the theater is decorated with statues of Wagner and Myslbek. The side entrance is decorated with allegories of Drama and Opera. The soft golden-gray colors of the building harmonize with the surrounding houses, and the oval dome easily and solemnly lifts it up, emphasizing its uniqueness and originality.
Translated automatically from Ukrainian. View original
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