If you are visiting the Prague Powder Gate, then you are in luck. The Municipal House is right next to it. Whether you are looking for a nice classical music concert, a dinner, or a drink or two at a bar, the Municipal house has it all. If you are into art nouveau style architecture, you can even take a guided tour of the building.
History
The Municipal House is located on the property where Royal Court Palace was formerly located. Thus, it is where the King of Bohemia used to reside at from 1383 to 1485. This Royal Court palace was demolished and the current Municipal House was constructed beginning in 1905 and opened in 1912.
Another reason why the Municipal House is historically significant is that the 1918 Czechoslovak declaration of independence took place in this building.
The Municipal House is home to the grandest concert hall in Prague, the Smetana Hall. The interior design of the hall is astounding, with its intricate details in art nouveau style. In fact, the architecture of the building as a whole is considered to be one of Europe’s finest art nouveau styles. Notably, there were two contests held to choose the design of the Municipal House. But to no luck, none of the design entries were good enough for such an important building. The Municipal House was, at that time, a representation of Czech nationalism. Ultimately, the city assigned Osvald Polivka and Antonin Balsanek the work and they surely produced an architectural masterpiece.
Tips
Considering the location at the city center and at a historically significant building, be prepared for prices higher than normal if you choose to dine at the restaurants or sit at the café or bar.
The bar downstairs is the first American bar so it may be worth checking out if you are interested in bars.
The Smetana Hall is home to the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. If you want to enjoy a nice orchestral concert while in Prague, you can book tickets here.
How to get there
By tram: stop Namesti Republiky
By metro: stop Namesti Republiky (yellow line B)
