MUNICIPAL HOUSE, Municipal House

Hi, my name’s Rick, and I’m your personal guide. Along with MyWoWo, I’d like to welcome you to one of the wonders of the world: the Municipal House.

The Municipal House was built between 1905 and 1912, after the area had been cleared of buildings in a state of disrepair. It was built on the site of the Royal Court Palace, the residence of the kings from 1383 and 1485, demolished in the early 20th century. Conceived as a cultural and leisure-time venue, featuring restaurants, theaters, games rooms and meeting rooms, it is a masterwork of the Secese movement, the Bohemian version of Art Nouveau, which takes its name from the Secession proclaimed by Czech artists seeking to break away from the preceding styles.

It is no coincidence that the palace and its decorations are the result of a collective effort from the finest Bohemian artists of the time, including the great Alfons Mucha, who designed the decorative elements in the entrance hall and in the “mayor’s office”. The mosaic above the entrance, entitled Homage to Prague is by Karel Spillar....