Municipal House

It was constructed on the site of the former Royal Court Palace, located on Republic Square next to the Powder Gate Tower, which marks the entrance to the Old Town.

The Municipal House is a beautiful building from every angle. Its façade, adorned with intricate stonework, stained glass windows, and stunning frescoes, gleams with gold trimmings.

Inside, Municipal House contains a variety of spaces, including a major concert hall, music salons, exhibition rooms, an elegant Czech restaurant, a beer hall restaurant, an American-style cocktail bar, and a traditional café.

Smetana Hall is the main hall at Municipal House, and the grandest concert hall in Prague. It is an architectural masterpiece of carved white stone with gold decorations, illuminated by hundreds of light bulbs. Masterful frescos by Karel Spillar adorn the ceiling and walls.

From the foyer, a sweeping marble staircase leads the audience up to Smetana Hall, only adding to one's anticipation of the event to come.

Classical concerts held in the Smetana feature some of the largest orchestras to play the city. Municipal House is the seat of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO), who perform orchestral and symphony concerts here.

Smetana Hall also stages enchanting chamber orchestra concerts, featuring a range of performers from string quartets to musical ensembles accompanied by choirs, opera singers and ballet dancers.

All classical concerts listed on Prague Experience at Municipal House are staged in the Smetana Hall (not a minor salon) - view listings and book concert tickets.

Municipal House Restaurant is on the ground floor of the building, and offers graceful 1920s style fine dining. Huge windows run along one side of the restaurant, looking out over Republic Square.

Municipal House Beer Hall is a premium traditional Czech restaurant on the lower ground floor. It serves the finest local fare in a lively, beer hall style atmosphere.

Next to the Beer Hall is the swish Tretter's American Bar, which opened in 1912. Visitors will find the classic Art Nouveau bar ideal for a sophisticated pre-concert drink. Either sit at the bar or sink into a black leather armchair with your favourite drink in hand.

Back on the ground floor, the Municipal House Café (Kavárna Obecní dům) is a traditional café. It serves coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh pastries throughout the day.

Exhibitions are another draw of Municipal House. These are listed in Prague events.

Municipal House is a historically significant building for Czech people. On the 28th October 1918, the proclamation of the independent state of Czechoslovakia was announced from its balcony, to a large crowd gathered in the square below.

To explore the sights in Prague, take a Prague tour.