The National Theatre
A visit to the “golden shrine” as this building is called by the Czechs is virtually compulsory for supporters of drama, ballet or opera. In addition to the National Theatre, the title head ´ND´, encompasses several other Prague theatre scenes: The Estates Theatre, New Scene and State Opera and a total of four companies: drama, ballet, opera and Laterna magika. The latter offers a truly unique spectacle - let yourself, through play of light, movement and sounds be immersed into luxuriously treated stories, such as the Little Prince, the Voyages extraordinaires of Jules Verne or the Magical Circus.
The historic building of the National Theatre was built in accordance with the project of Josef Zítek in 1881 and is a luxurious demonstration of the Renaissance Revival style. Later that year it was destroyed by fire, to be reopened to visitors two years later. The National Theatre became the first Czech brick-and-mortar theatre. Its decoration was participated upon by personalities of sound names such as painters František Ženíšek, Mikoláš Aleš and sculptors Josef Václav Myslbek and Bohuslav Schnirch. The luxurious golden crown placed upon the roof of the building thus lets visitors of Prague know even from a great distance that this is a truly unique monument, whose heart is however still beating, attracting visitors to view the building itself or its performances.
