Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is one of Europe's best-preserved cities, having miraculously survived the widespread bombings of World War II. As the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague is home to over 1.3 million people and features an architectural heritage spanning centuries, covering a variety of architectural styles from Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo, to Modernist, Deconstructivism, and contemporary tendencies. The Old Town Square, where various architectural styles coexist, is a testament to this diversity. Known as the "Mother of all Cities," “the Golden City and “The City of a Hundred Spires,” Prague blends history and contemporary culture seamlessly. Its origins, steeped in legend, add to the city's charm.
Over the past few years, the city has also seen interest from internationally-recognized architectural offices. Following an international competition, BIG has set out to design a for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall on the riverbanks of the Vltava River, Zaha Hadid has recently completed an office and retail building in the city center, while Henning Larsen has been announced as the winner of the commission to redesign Prague Central Station, Nový Hlavák.
Read on to discover 10 of Prague's historical landmarks, many of them featuring contemporary interventions, and 15 contemporary projects from both local and internationally recognized offices such as Frank Gehry, and Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
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St. Vitus Cathedral / Matthias of Arras, Peter Parler, and others
Old Town Hall with Astronomical Clock / Mikuláš of Kadaň
Charles Bridge / Peter Parler
Church of Our Lady Before Týn / Peter Parler
New Provostry Extensions and Reconstruction / Studio acht
Palaces Churches of Prague Castle / Various architects
National Gallery Prague at Schwarzenberg Palace / Entrance Hall by Mateo Arquitectura
Old Water and Observatory Tower in Prague / Renovation by Petr Hájek ARCHITEKTI
Kunsthalle Prague / Adaptive Reuse by Schindler Seko
Emmaus Monastery / Roof Reconstructed by František Maria Černý (1965)
Modern and Contemporary Projects
Dancing House / Frank Gehry
Masarycka Building / Zaha Hadid Architects
Revitalization of Prague's Riverfront / petrjanda/brainwork
Villa Müller / Adolf Loos
Centre for Contemporary Art DOX+ / Petr Hajek Architekti
Štvanice Footbridge in Prague / Atelier Brigde Structures + Blank Architekti
Manifesto Market Andel / CHYBIK + KRISTOF
Zlaty Andel Building / Ateliers Jean Nouvel
National Technical Library in Prague / Projektil Architekti
Jan Palach Memorial / John Hejduk
New Town Hall Prague 7 / BOD Architekti
Federal Assembly / Jaroslav Rössler
New Headquarters of the Faculty of Humanities Charles University / Kuba & Pilar architekti
City Green Court / Richard Meier & Partners
Žižkov Television Tower / Václav Aulický, Jiří Kozák
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