Nationaltheater Prag

The genesis - with donations to the National Theatre

As early as 1844, the idea of building a national theatre in Prague was born. Many years passed before the theatre was opened on 18 November 1883. The Bohemian Parliament approved František Palacký's application to build a national theatre as early as 29 January 1845. An association for the construction of a Czech National Theatre in Prague was founded, which launched a public appeal for donations for the first time in 1851. This was not to be the last, as the cost of the project was high. By 1884, a total of 3.2 million florins had been donated and part of it had been raised through lotteries. As the building project was thus drawn out, an interim theatre was opened as early as 1862.

The design by the architect Josef Zítek was selected from numerous designs and was to be realized. Before the start of construction, the specific project was presented in an exhibition. The exhibition was visited, among others, by Emperor Franz Joseph I, who donated 5,000 florins from his fortune during this visit. In total, members of the imperial family donated 26,000 gulden. In addition to well-heeled businessmen, the Czech nobility also donated considerable sums and the Russian Tsar also supported the building project.

The laying of the foundation stone in 1868 attracted 100,000 to 150,000 spectators. In 1877 the roof was erected. The opening was to take place on June 11, 1881, as a visit by Crown Prince Rudolf was scheduled for that date. After the opening ceremony, the theatre was once again closed to the public in order to complete the outstanding work. The final opening could not take place due to a fire that broke out on 12 August 1881.

As a result of the extensive damage, another appeal for donations had to be launched. Among others, the emperor donated 13,000 gulden. In total, one million florins were raised again. In addition, 300,000 gulden were taken over by the insurance. Finally, it took until November 18, 1883 until the Prague National Theatre could open permanently.

A breathtakingly beautiful theatre building to this day

For almost 100 years, the theatre continued to operate without major renovations. A restoration took place between 1977 and 1983. 100 years after the final opening, the renovation was completed and the theatre was able to resume full operations on November 18, 1983. An exterior renovation took place from 2012 to 2015. Both renovations were carried out with attention to detail, so that both the architectural features and the charm of the National Theatre were preserved.

The prestigious interior and exterior are fascinating with their rich gilding. The building alone makes every visit to the theatre, opera or ballet an unforgettable experience. It is recommended not only to admire the theatre from the outside but if possible to visit a performance, as the ensemble of the Prague National Theatre is outstanding. In order to admire the impressive foyer, the richly decorated staircases and the subtleties such as the original chandeliers in peace, it is worthwhile to get to the theatre in good time before the performance.