6075 x 4050 px | 51,4 x 34,3 cm | 20,3 x 13,5 inches | 300dpi
Data acquisizione:
27 marzo 2010
Ubicazione:
Narodnii trida, 4, Prague, Czech Republic
Altre informazioni:
The National Theatre (Czech: Národní divadlo) in Prague is known as the Alma Mater of Czech opera, and as the national monument of Czech history and art. In 1865 the 33-year old professor of civil engineering at the Prague Technical College, architect Josef Zítek, drafted a design for the National Theatre. On May 16, 1868, the foundation stone was laid, and in November the foundations were completed. In 1875 the new building reached its full height and in 1877 the theatre was roofed over. The National Theatre was opened for the first time on June 11, 1881, to honour the visit of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. Another 11 performances were presented after that. Then the theatre was closed down to enable the completion of the finishing touches. While this work was under way a fire broke out on August 12, 1881, which destroyed the copper dome, the auditorium and the stage of the theatre. The architect Josef Schulz was summoned to work on the reconstruction. He was the one to assert the expansion of the edifice to include the block of flats belonging to Dr. Polák that was situated behind the building of the Provisional Theatre. He made this building a part of the National Theatre and simultaneously changed somewhat the area of the auditorium to improve visibility. He did, however, take into account with utmost sensitivity the style of Zítek’s design, and so he managed to merge three buildings by various architects to form an absolute unity of style.
