National Theater in Prague – address, photo, opening hours, how to get there, map
One of the symbols of Prague and the Czech national revival. The main theater of the country, in which, along with musical performances, dramatic works are also staged. The construction of the theater is the result of the national revival of the Czech people, which was very vigorously expressed at the end of the 19th century in the general rise of national self-consciousness and a return to the origins of the Czech folk culture.
History of creation
In the 70s of the 19th century, a special group was created to oversee the construction of the country's National Theater. It was headed by Jan Harrach – a philanthropist, an active public figure. The project was prepared by the architect Josef Zitek, who decided to build the building in the Neo-Renaissance style. The best painters and sculptors of the country participated in the design of the theater: Vaclav Brozhik, Josef Vaclav Mylbek, Mikolash Alesh and others. For the construction, it was decided to use only local materials and involve local workers. On May 16, 1868, the cornerstone was solemnly laid, or rather the stones that were brought from all the sacred places of the Czech Republic. Together with the stones, they also laid earth from the Plavsky tumulus, a pre-Christian burial ground in Bohemia.
The theater was opened in 1881 with the premiere of B. Smetana's opera Libuse. However, a fire soon broke out. He destroyed part of the auditorium, the stage and the copper dome. This was perceived by the people as a national tragedy. People donated money to restore the theater, and a serious amount was raised in record time. Half of the inhabitants of the city contributed to the restoration of the theater. After repairs, the theater reopened with the same Smetana opera in 1883.
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Theater interior
The main facade of the theater is decorated with an attic with a figure of the god Apollo, muses and chariots. The theater inside is decorated unusually luxuriously. The ceiling of the main foyer is decorated with a triptych “the golden age, decline and resurrection of art. Here and in other rooms of the theater there are not only portraits, but also busts of artists related to the theater. The auditorium for 996 seats is arranged in such a way that excellent audibility remains on all rows and even the uppermost tiers. A huge chandelier with 260 lamps weighing 2 tons is located above the stalls. An old organ is installed on the stage, and above it is the inscription “The people for themselves”, glorifying the selflessness and sacrifice of the Czech people. The same theme can be traced in the image on the curtain of the stage.
On the ceiling in the hall there are images of “Allegories of Art”, which in female images represent 8 of its types: Painting, Architecture, Sculpture, Lyricism, Music, Dance, Mimicry and Ethics. This is the work of the famous Czech artist Franciszek Zhenisek. Unlike other theaters, the Imperial and Primator's boxes are not located in the center in this one. According to the builders, the best seats should be available to those who finance the theater and contribute to its prosperity – that is, the people.
Working hours
The box office of the theater is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. In addition, tickets for performances at the National Theater can be bought at the box office of other city theaters or booked online. Pre-sale and booking starts 5 months before the performance. The cost of tickets (from 120 to 1100 kroons) will depend on the performance and the selected seat. In addition, the theater offers guided tours in different languages. Only this needs to be agreed in advance by calling +420 224 901 506. The cost of the tour is 200 kroons. It lasts approximately one hour.
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How to get there
You can get to the theater by tram number 6, 8, 18, 22. The stop is called Narodni divadlo.