Municipal House (Obecní dům) in Prague is the city's foremost Art Nouveau building, and one of the finest in Europe.
It is situated on Republic Square next to the Powder Gate Tower, at the entrance to the Old Town. Municipal House contains a magnificent complex of rooms: the grandest concert hall in Prague, music salons and exhibition rooms, an elegant Czech restaurant, a large traditional beer hall restaurant, a cocktail bar, and a traditional café. This is a beautiful building from all aspects. Its exterior gleams with intricate stonework, gold trimmings, frescos, and stained glass windows. Inside, a huge marble staircase leads up to the Smetana Concert Hall, which is an architectural masterpiece of carved white stone with gold decorations, illuminated by hundreds of light bulbs. Frescos by Karel Spillar adorn the walls. Municipal House is home to the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, and classical concerts held in the Smetana Hall boast the largest orchestras to play the city. All Municipal House concerts listed on Prague Experience are staged in the Smetana Hall (not a salon) - View listings and book concert tickets.
On the ground floor of the building is the Municipal House Restaurant, which offers graceful 1920s style fine dining. Huge windows run along one side of the restaurant, looking out over Republic Square. On the lower ground floor is a premium traditional Czech restaurant, Municipal House Beer Hall, which serves the finest local fare in a lively atmosphere. Next to the Beer Hall is the swish Tretter's American Bar. First opened in 1912, this classic Art Nouveau bar is ideal for pre-concert drinks. Sink into a black leather armchair with your choice of drink from cocktails, spirits, beers, wines and sparkling wines. Back on the ground floor, the Municipal House Café (Kavárna Obecní dům) is a traditional café serving coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh pastries throughout the day. Exhibitions are another draw of Municipal House, and these are listed in Prague events.
Municipal House was constructed on the site of the former Royal Court Palace, and opened to great fanfare in 1912. On the 28th October 1918, the historic proclamation of the independent state of Czechoslovakia was announced to a large crowd from the balcony at Municipal House. -----------------------------------------------
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