Public house Prague. National house on grapes. Prostitutes are primarily foreigners

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City of cultural depravity and more. Prague, Czech Republic. August 30th, 2012

For a long time I could not understand my answer to your question upon my return. Or is this my question to myself. What I liked and where I would go. But I didn’t like anything enough to go back there. Norway does not count, since its nature and how the locals carefully settled it is comparable only to a Third World War cocktail made from absinthe - it blows your mind. Effortless and guaranteed.

And what about the notorious old world? Of course, I didn’t see all of Europe, but only half of the planned 7 countries. Never mind! Helsinki touched me, but not to the point of crying out loud, but I liked it. All these old European cities are like Lenin all over Russia. It came and went. But they make the most of it, displaying it like a museum under open air

. They move the hands of these corpses, open and close their mouth, pretending that the dead man is talking. And you, hanging your ears, think that he is talking specifically to you and you, a sophisticated dandelion, managed to understand and feel him. Deception and hypocrisy. The corpse has long been dead, people live in mansions, and people come here to make money on boys and girls with their ears spread out, with backpacks on their backs or a car in a paid parking lot, standing in their own puddle of far-fetched fantasies. That's why I didn't even go to see Oslo. I would see Stockholm or almost any other European city, in a slightly different form. Same.

With a feeling of disappointment, I entered the Czech Republic and Germany was not as smooth as it had been for several days in a row. Everything was predictable, countries changed from one to another no more than your Tuesday from Wednesday. Yes, you bought fish on Tuesday, and on Wednesday you were at the hardware store. They seem to be different, but who cares? Prague turned out to be a real surprise. This is a New Year's card city, or rather even a Christmas card. There is no such smell here, but it smells of cinnamon, mulled wine and the rustle of gift paper. I want to sit under the canopy of the restaurant and dissolve in the enveloping peace. The night pipes of crickets add color to an already extremely colorful city. The feeling of the Middle Ages was nowhere to be found, only in Prague did modernity fail to penetrate. Old city - this is a full-fledged, and not several squares with modern houses around the corner. Mast bi hie!

And what debauchery is here. Collectible! Not Walking Street, of course, but quite Patong. Strip clubs, a dozen or two types of absinthe, including cannabis. Even vodka is made from cannabis. Any degree of severity of the protrusion is guaranteed by pot-bellied green fairies on the right bottles. I’m not talking about beer, it’s a classic of light relaxation in the Czech Republic. It’s not porn and erotic shops, but entire large supermarkets with baskets that help demand flow into their supply. Crowds of young people along the embankments, like schools of drunken tuna, migrate from one area of ​​the city to another. Small stalls and souvenir shops, cheap restaurants every 3 steps. Everything I like. I would even add that you need to visit it during the tourist season in order to feel, and for some to remember or try to understand the power and emancipation of youth life. To hell with sadness! If we are talking about a city, then this is exactly what a place should be worth visiting - alive and real, and not an exhibition of old mannequins whose wigs are constantly being adjusted.

I got hooked on guesthouse accommodation. Secondly, it's cheap. And firstly, there is a unique youth atmosphere here. You can talk to a young woman from Great Britain or a guy from Italy. This is fun, and it trains your language, and it gives you the feeling that you are still involved in life, and not living as a separate owl and a unit of society. Here you are society, part of a foreign cocktail with coca leaves and pepper. And for 250 rubles a day - you'll get a fantastic deal! In addition to showers and toilets, there are lounges for relaxation, reading, local little libraries and self-cooking kitchens that smell of scrambled eggs and pasta. If you can overcome the feeling of undignity, then you are guaranteed social impressions!

As prices fall, morals continue to fall. After a twenty-minute walk, I return to the motorcycle, and there is already a big guy standing there wearing my gloves, my clothes and rummaging through my bag. The good man cheerfully, in his own way, rejoiced at me with a drug addict smile, that I was Russian and did not want to leave. “Get out!”, he perceived as a greeting, but he recognized the word “Police” and immediately went about his business, which he almost forgot about.

This is the Czech land: hills, fields. Radars are so-so. The language is so funny: it’s as if they were written by patients with cerebral palsy. All the names are clear if you look closely.

Pedestrians on the signs can easily recognize the alcoholic neighbor that everyone has. With an unsteady gait, dressed in a wrinkled, greasy suit with a hat that is almost 40 years old, he goes to the store for a second one.

I met several similar ones around the city in half an hour.

Here they are in their homeland. The truth is more for the urban ensemble; for convenience, modern trams from Star Wars travel.

The city is harmonious and beautiful. It is a fact.

Pay attention to the storm pipe. It is illuminated with a weak light.

There are more liquor stores than thoughts in your head.

The souvenir shops are better than I've seen anywhere in the world. And where was I...

The photograph does not convey the majesty of the stone buildings.

The river and canals smell lightly of fish.

There are so many statues that there’s simply nowhere more. They are “drawn” in detail, many subtleties are embodied.

In the night spotlight, the play of shadows and light begins.

Find the Olympic bear.

and a vampire doll :)

The details of folk life are simply fantastic. A hitherto unimaginable sight for me.

Our familiar pedestrian neighbor almost came home with the same uneven gait.

Embankment in the evening and at night. Tusa.

They use the word POZOR everywhere. Obviously this is a WARNING! They need to be translated not literally, but by thinking to the side. It's about Look, not Shame as you might think.

The Municipal House dominates the large Republic Square, through which some of the most important trade routes to silver Kutná Hora formerly passed. Due to its strategic importance, the residence of Czech rulers was originally located here, starting with Wenceslas IV, and traditionally the Coronation Procession began here. Today, the only reminder of the glorious past is the Gothic tower of the architects Bolšanek and Polivka, adjacent to the beautiful building of the Municipal House, in the creation of the interior of which Alfons Mucha, Max Švabinský, Mikolas Aleš and other outstanding Czech and foreign artists took part.

Gastronomic paradise in the Municipal House

Magnificent mahogany furniture, original wallpaper and lamps, detailed steel clocks, a variety of sculptures and paintings create a pleasant atmosphere: how else can you enjoy the quiet charm of the turn of the century than with a glass of good wine, fine food or while listening to masterpieces of classical music? Attend wonderful concerts in the Smetana Hall, which can accommodate up to 1,200 people, or enjoy Czech and international cuisine in the French Restaurant, an authentic café, a wine bar or the Pilsen National Restaurant. Take your taste buds on a tour of modernist Prague.

The municipal house witnessed turning points

The municipal house, although it cannot compare in the duration of its existence with Romanesque rotundas or ancient Gothic monuments, has witnessed two of the most important events in modern Czech history. It was here that independence from Austria-Hungary was declared in 1918, and hence the emergence of the first independent Czechoslovak Republic. And here, only a few decades later, in 1989, the future president of the democratic Czech Republic Vaclav Havel first met with representatives communist regime, which was soon to fall apart. Forget for a moment about medieval knights and kings, and while walking around Prague, take a look at the places where the modern Czech state was born.

Gothic Powder Gate guarding the Municipal House

If, when visiting the Municipal House, you still feel nostalgic for the history of bygone days, go up to the Gothic Powder Gate. In addition to the view of Prague, here you can get acquainted with the period when the Municipal House was only a distant future and in its place was the Royal Court - the residence of the Czech rulers.

Prague Public House is amazing architectural ensemble in the Art Nouveau style, it is unusually good inside. Go to events that take place in the halls of this House or just sit in one of its restaurants.

Prague Public House (Obecní dům) is one of the best buildings in the Prague Secession style. The public and representative house of the capital was designed as a center of spiritual and public life, and also as a representative of the capital of the Czech state.

In 1918 in Public house The National Committee of Czechoslovakia met. On October 28, 1918, the independence of Czechoslovakia was proclaimed here. On November 13, 1918, the Provisional Constitution of the Czechoslovak Republic was adopted. And in 1989, the first negotiations between the communist government of Czechoslovakia and representatives of the Civil Forum led by Vaclav Havel took place.

Today the Public House is used primarily as a concert venue.

Architecture and interior decoration

The building was built according to the design of architects Antonin Balšanek and Oswald Polivka in 1905-1911 on the site where there was once a temporary residence of the Czech kings, called the “Royal Court”. A memorial plaque on the corner of the building reminds us of this. The best Czech artists and sculptors were invited to decorate the building externally and internally.

The facade is completed by a dome with a mosaic “The Apotheosis of Prague”, made according to sketches by Karel Spillar. On the sides there are sculptural groups by Ladislav Shalun “Humiliation of the People” and “Resurrection of the People”. The side facades of the building are also richly decorated.

The central hall of the house is the “Hall named after. Smetana" (Smetanova síň) – a place for concerts and various societies special events, this is where the Prague Spring music festival takes place. On the sides of the stage there are allegorical sculptural groups “Czech Dance” and “My Homeland” by Ladislav Shalun. The author of the allegorical frescoes “Music”, “Dance”, “Poetry”, and “Drama” placed on the balconies is Karel Spillar.

In addition, the Public House has a number of halls and salons, the design of which is distinguished by a high artistic level. There are also galleries, a gambling hall, a restaurant and several cafes.

The most beautiful salon is considered to be the Mayor's Salon (Primátorský sál), located opposite the Smetana Hall. The salon is decorated with allegorical frescoes by Alphonse Mucha. From here you can go out onto the balcony.

All premises of the Public House are available for inspection as part of a paid tour.

How to get there

Take metro line B to Náměstí Republiky station.

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The Public House is one of the most magnificent buildings in Prague. By visiting the House, which the townspeople also call the Municipal House, you will feel the unique spirit of the golden age of Art Nouveau.

Construction of the Municipal House

Prague's main representative of the Art Nouveau style, the Public House, is located near the old Powder Tower. In its place in the Middle Ages a royal palace stood; later the building was a seminary, the residence of an archbishop, and military academies. Having completely collapsed, it freed up space for new construction, which was entrusted to the Czech architects A. Balshanek and O.

Watering lasted 7 years. At that time, the Czech Republic was part of Austria-Hungary: the influence of Austrian Art Nouveau is noticeable in the design of the new building of the Municipal House.

The Public House is a unique harmony of architectural and painting styles from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: neo-Baroque, neo-Renaissance, Western and Eastern influences merge with Czech Art Nouveau. The monumental appearance of the building is crowned by outstanding decoration created by 30 leading Czech artists and sculptors of the time.

The municipal house has undergone several partial reconstructions. The last one took place between 1994 and 1997.

From the first day the House opened in 1912, it hosted balls, concerts, exhibitions, meetings of societies and clubs. Conceived as a multifunctional building, it also served as the main center of gastronomy in Prague.

And in October 1918, the country witnessed an important historical event: it was in the Public House that the independent Czech Republic was proclaimed.

Interior of the Public House

The decor and painting of the house were carefully thought out by the craftsmen, and the amount of materials used in interior design is simply amazing.

The building was equipped with all the modern conveniences of the time, including central heating and ventilation, a public water supply system, a refrigerated cellar where ice was stored, electric and hydraulic elevators, and laundry facilities. Technological equipment from those times is still in good condition.

The building has 6 halls, restaurants, cafes, and many rooms intended for holding various social events. The interior decoration of the room is rich in ornaments, frescoes, statues, golden chandeliers and paintings.

Smetana Concert Hall

The largest city concert hall– this is the B. Smetana Hall, which received its name in honor of the outstanding Czech composer. It can accommodate up to 1,200 spectators and is unique due to its acoustics, as well as advanced technology for constructing vaults using stainless steel. The highlight of this hall is the glass dome, decorated with steel grilles and stained glass windows, which evening time illuminated with illumination. There is enough daylight to avoid the need for additional lighting.

The perimeter of the hall is decorated with an original cornice. The stucco medallions depict Czech composers. And the balconies located on the sides of the stage are complemented by sculptures and garlands of flowers.

The main pride of the Public House is the organ, containing up to 5 thousand pipes, crowned with a portrait of Smetana in bronze. The world's leading organists consider it an honor to perform musical masterpieces on this instrument.

Classical music concerts in Obecní dům

Mayor's Salon

The Mayor's Salon is artistically the most valuable and beautiful room.

The famous artist took an active part in the design of the Mayor's Salon. At that time, the master was interested in the national epic of the country, so the theme of the ceiling and wall paintings was dedicated to the history, traditions of the Czechs, as well as the Slavic consent.

The frescoes located on the walls, ceiling, and “sails” of the salon allegorically depict human virtues. Alphonse Mucha's combination of talent, creativity, fame and love for the Motherland left its mark on the interior decoration.

The public house contains up to 1.5 thousand rooms, but attention should be paid to a thorough review of at least the main halls of the building. The luxury you see will make your head spin, and the bohemianism and elegance of the decoration will serve as a kind of warning: there is nothing to do here without evening dresses and tuxedos.

Today, the Public House welcomes visitors to a coffee shop and a French restaurant, where even high-ranking officials have visited: presidents, maharajas and the queen. Excellent cuisine, incredible coffee and live music - everything is conducive to communication and business meetings.

In addition, the House hosts exhibitions, conferences, fashion shows and special events. The halls warmly welcome guests at concerts, banquets and annual balls.

Original solutions that reign in the decoration of almost any building in the central square of Prague and in remote provinces make the Czech Republic especially attractive to connoisseurs gothic architecture. It was here that one of the most striking masterpieces was located, which, nevertheless, retained many reminders of its difficult past. It's about about the Prague Public House, which is located on Republic Square.

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Prague has long gained a reputation as a city that combines several cultures. For many years, the Czech Republic was part of other states that made a significant contribution to the formation of this, let’s not be afraid of this word, “pearl” of the European continent. Austria-Hungary, Germany, Czechoslovakia - this is just a small list of states that at one time had a significant influence on the formation of local culture, traditions and way of life.

Previously, on the site of the Public House, there was a palace in which Czech kings lived and ruled these lands for several centuries. Over time, the building changed its purpose several times. At first there was a seminary here, a little later the archbishop and his retinue chose the place, and in the pre-war years future defenders of the Fatherland were trained here.

In those distant times, the buildings were not particularly looked after, so under the influence of time, the building gradually began to deteriorate until it completely collapsed. But the place did not have to be empty for long. Already in 1905, on the site of the former royal palace The first stone was laid, marking the beginning of the creation of another architectural masterpiece.

As often happens, construction of such a scale always faces certain difficulties. For example, it was not immediately possible to decide on the main persons responsible for the project. After a number of unsuccessful competitions, O. Polivka and A. Balshenek received their right to create a masterpiece, who became the authors of the Public House, the construction of which lasted for 7 long years.

Famous Czech artists also had a creative hand in creating the masterpiece, among whom was Karel Spillar, who was entrusted with creating a mosaic panel on the facade of the building. And he coped with the role assigned to him brilliantly.

If you are even slightly interested in the history of that time, you will immediately notice that almost every detail of this architectural masterpiece contains a deep meaning and theme of national revival.

History of the house

If you want to get to know the architecture of the Prague Public House better and plunge headlong into the history of this place, you cannot do without an experienced guide. Finding one here is not difficult. We will only briefly glance at several monumental dates with which this place, amazing in its beauty and unusually deep charisma, is associated.

So, the construction of the house was completed in 1912. In those distant times, many social balls and receptions for high-ranking officials were organized here. The doors of the Public House, which fully lived up to its name, were open to everyone. Exhibitions were organized within its walls and meetings of various societies and interest clubs were held. And, as if to confirm its versatility, the house became the main center of gastronomy in Prague.

In 1918, one of the most significant events took place within the walls of the building. historical events for the Czech Republic. It was here that the independence of the republic was proclaimed. This happened on October 28 and within two weeks the Constitution of the Czech Republic was presented.

Throughout its almost century-long history, the Public House of Prague has witnessed, and often directly participated in, grandiose historical events. As if adapting to the new realities of life of the Czechs, the building was modified many times, and in its perfect appearance More and more adjustments were made.

That is why the Public House appears to modern people in an absolutely unique guise, in which one can trace the brilliant brushes of many artists and architects of different eras, and the long-term influence of the once powerful state of Austria-Hungary, which extended its influence to Czech territories, became the reason that The architecture of the building contains signs of Austrian Art Nouveau.

Today the Public House is used for cultural purposes. Concerts are regularly held within its walls.

Unusual architecture and enchanting paintings

With its truly amazing architecture and enchanting paintings, the Public House can easily surprise anyone. No place more suitable for this role immediately comes to mind. It combines a variety of styles of architecture and painting that were common in the Czech Republic in the 19th and 20th centuries. Neo-Baroque, Art Nouveau, Neo-Renaissance - styles that were considered incompatible - are mixed here and look more than organic.

And what decor is here! At least 30 Czech artists and sculptors from different times worked on its creation. An amazing, colorful and incomparable picture appears before the eyes of tourists. Locals, who, it would seem, should already be accustomed to such beauty and not pay any attention to it, enjoy the unique architecture with no less delight. And this is truly amazing!

Approaching the Public House, the first thing that catches your eye is the unusual plastic decorating the façade of the building. The main theme is national stories from the centuries-old history of the Czech people. Well, the unique ornament in the style of secession is beyond any praise.

The main entrance is framed by a mosaic, the creation of which the great Karel Spillar worked day and night. The colorful slogan “Glory to Prague” seems to invite everyone to come inside. But there's no need to rush. After all, you have not yet examined all the richness of the architectural heritage that is located outside. The sculptures presented at the foot of the house are divided into two thematic groups - “Humiliation of the People” and “Resurrection of the People”. The author of this masterpiece is considered to be Ladislav Šaloun, whose most famous creation is the Monument to Jan Hus, which is located in the middle of the Old Town Square.

And, of course, how can one ignore the truly grandiose creation in size and execution in the form of two Atlases, which are located on the columns of the main entrance. The diversity of culture and traditions of numerous regions of the Czech Republic is reminded by relief figures in national decoration, each of which is dedicated to a separate province. Here, in the openings of the second floor windows, tourists can also observe sculpted heads that carry allegorical overtones.

Interior of the Public House

Even now, upon entering the building, any visitor will be surprised and shocked. Imagine, even in those distant times, the usual forums were created in the Public House modern man air conditioning and heating systems, and 28 hydraulic and electric elevators scurried between floors up and down!

Each hall of the Public House is designed in an unusually subtle style. The ornaments and sculptures themselves, which have been an integral part of this attraction for almost a century, are masterpieces of applied art, painting and architecture. You can look at the local beauty and rich interior decoration for days on end.

Even the cafe here is created in the Art Nouveau style, and the walls are lined with first-class mahogany. The French restaurant, which has undergone virtually no changes, can compete with art galleries in famous cities around the world. This is a kind of kingdom of allegory and bright painting.

In the center of this divine interior, like the main prize, is a huge hall named after Smetana. It is here that Prague welcomes guests from all over the world who want to plunge into the world of wonderful music. A lot has been done within its walls social events. The walls of the hall are decorated with numerous portraits of world-famous Czech composers. Well, in special balcony niches, allegorical statues of Dance, Music, Poetry and Drama watch the action that takes place on stage, frozen in centuries-old amazement. Since 1942, this hall has been the center of the ingenious creations of the Czech symphony orchestra.