Dancing House

The history of the Dancing House

On Jiráskuv Most, a street not far from Prague's Old Town, there had been a building gap since 1945, as the house standing there fell victim to a bombing raid. Later the remains were levelled. The adjacent building from 1900 was built by Vaclav Havel, the grandfather of the future Czech president. As early as the 1980s, a conversation took place between Václav Havel, who lived in the house next door, and architect Vlado Milunić. At that time, they were discussing the construction of a cultural centre. When Havel was at the helm of the country after the revolution, the idea was taken up again and made concrete. At that time, the fallow land was owned by ING Bank, which commissioned Milunić, together with architects Frank Gehry, to design a building that would have both a static and a dynamic part.

Bold architecture that is second to none

A remarkable fact is that the Dancing House was one of the first modern buildings to be built after the political upheaval. Architect Frank O. Gehry already had experience with curved buildings, but with the Dancing House, together with Vlado Milunić, he managed to create an architectural masterpiece. At the corner of the modern building there are two dynamic towers leaning against each other, which symbolize a dancing couple and thus were also decisive for the name of the building. Another eye-catcher are the windows placed at different heights. The staggered arrangement adds even more visual dynamism. Overthrown by pillars that extend over the sidewalk to the street, the dynamic components of the building appear extremely filigree in a very special way. The grace of the buildings ensures that they are affectionately called Ginger and Fred by the people of Prague, as they are reminiscent of the dancing couple Ginger Rogers and Fred Astair.

The modern building was to become a symbol of its time and symbolized the hopes of the young republic like no other building. Thus, the Dancing House was also to be seen as a political statement at the time it was built, because the new state wanted to be a modern state and this was also reflected in the extraordinary architecture.

Today, the dancing house is an office building, but there is also a gallery on the ground floor that is worth visiting. Works of young talents are exhibited and the exhibited art pieces change regularly. Friends of the contemporary art should accordingly take some time for a stroll through the gallery. In the upper part of the house there is a restaurant named "Ginger & Fred" that is known for its first class cuisine but also for its stunning view. Above the restaurant there is also a glass bar with a terrace, which is a popular vantage point and offers a magnificent view of Prague Castle.