The national holiday on 28 October commemorates the establishment of the independent Czechoslovak state. Credit: Freepik.
Prague, Oct 26 (BD) – Prague City Hall will once again open the Mayor’s Residence, Clam-Gallas Palace, Škoda Lounges and the New Town Hall to the public on Saturday, 28 October, to coincide with the national holiday commemorating the establishment of the independent Czechoslovak state.
As part of the open day, which runs from 10 am to 6 pm, there will be special free tours and an accompanying program for children and adults in the buildings. At the same time, Czech flags will be raised in the centre of the city, and the Petřín lookout tower will be lit up in the national colours.
Buildings which will open include, among others, the Residence of the Mayor of Prague, which was established in 1928 as part of the Municipal Library. The building was designed by František Roith, and the interiors are an example of the art deco style. The residence has been used mainly for protocol and representational purposes since the beginning.
After years of reconstruction, the Clam-Gallas Palace on Mariánské náměstí was also opened to the public last September. On the public holiday, it will be possible to visit it for free, and guided tours are available.
“I cordially invite all Prague inhabitants who are interested in visiting these premises. It is a dignified way of celebrating such an important holiday as 28 October. The public will also be able to check for themselves that the city is properly taking care of this heritage and preserving it for future generations,” said the Mayor of Prague, Bohuslav Svoboda.
Škoda’s lounges, which consist of five interconnected rooms on the 1st floor of the Škoda Palace on Jungmannova, will also be made available to the public. The palace was built as an administrative building for the headquarters of the Škoda plants in Pilsen according to the design of the architect Pavel Janák in 1924-1926, and the lounges were furnished as representative premises of the Škoda manufacturer. Over time, they were reconstructed, and visitors can now see them in their original form.
There will also be a program in the New Town Hall on Mariánské náměstí, which has served city officials since its inception. In the past, the tax office was located here, and the building now houses the administration of the City of Prague. In the representative hall, it will be possible to watch a puppet theatre performance about Pejsek a Kočička from Říše Loutek. The performances will be free from 11 am and then from 2 pm. There will also be various singing performances.
On the ground floor of the building, a rich accompanying program will be prepared for children and adults from various city companies. Families will be able to visit stands with innovative technologies, a 3D flight simulator, Lego robotics, or face painting. The youngest visitors can also try to get a children’s driver’s licence from the Prague Municipal Police, or try resuscitation under the supervision of Prague Paramedics.
The entire program and other details are available on the website of the Prague municipality. Reservations for tours of the Mayor’s Residence and the Clam-Gallas Palace are already fully booked. It is therefore recommended to check the registration website for updates.
