The Municipal House, which is located on the border between the Old and New Towns of Prague, is considered the most beautiful building of its time, built in the Art Nouveau style. The palace was completed at the end of 1912 according to the design of architects Antonín Balšánek and Osvald Polívka. A number of artists - painters, sculptors and other artistic professions - continued to participate in the decoration, for all of them we can name at least Alphonse Mucha, who is most associated with Art Nouveau in our country. The palace was built from the beginning as a multifunctional place for social and cultural life. In addition to several restaurants, a cafe, a bar, it also has a pastry shop, there is a place for billiards, it has always served above all music and visual arts - as a leading concert and exhibition hall. Almost since the creation of the Municipal House, the Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK has been based here, which holds its concerts precisely in the central hall dedicated to our leading composer of the 19th century – Bedřich Smetana – in the Smetana Hall. This central hall is further surrounded by a ring of smaller spaces, decorated in the spirit of the time - the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries, in the spirit of the fading national revival, named after important personalities of the 19th century. For example, Gregor's Hall is worth mentioning, but the visitor will also be amazed by Alfons Mucha's important artistic achievement in the form of the Mayor's Hall. On October 28, 1918, it was right here, in the Municipal House, when seven Czechs and Slovaks declared an independent and common Czechoslovak state - the Czechoslovak Republic.
In 1946, conductor Rafael Kubelík founded the tradition of the Prague Spring international music festival, which continues with great interest to this day. Of course, the Municipal House is alive with music with various musical groups all year round, and is widely visited by both domestic and foreign visitors.
During the 20th century, under the previous regime, the Municipal House was used, but without any maintenance, a total reconstruction in the 1990s was then logically inevitable.
In addition to other cultural experiences, it is possible to purchase a ticket for a tour of the Municipal House.
The Municipal House - Obecní dům in the Czech language - sets on the right bank of the Vltava River, in the Republic Square, which is situated between the Old and New Towns directly adjacent to the Powder Tower. Not far away from here there is the tramand bus stop of the trams No. 6, 8, 15 and 26 and the bus No. 207, or you can use the metro, route B.
On foot in the direction from the Old Town Square follow the Celetná Street and after 10 minute walk you come to Powder Tower or you can follow the Na Příkopě Street from Wenceslas Squaredirection.
Smetana concert Hall is located on the first floor
