Žofín Palace
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Žofín Palace () is a
Neo-Renaissance Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival architecture, Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival ar ...
building in
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, in the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
. It is a cultural centre, a venue for concerts, balls, conferences and exhibitions. It is situated on ' (Slavonic Island), an island in the
Vltava The Vltava ( , ; ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Elbe River. It runs southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, and Prague. It is com ...
river in
New Town, Prague New Town () is a quarter in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. New Town is the youngest and largest of the five independent (from the Middle Ages until 1784) towns that today comprise the historic center of modern Prague. New Town was found ...
.


History

The island in the Vltava river was formed in the 18th century. Damaged by floods in 1784, it was protected with a wall and planted with trees. In 1830, the island, then known as ''Barvířský ostrov'' (Dyer's Island), was bought by Václav Novotný, a miller. He created a Neo-Renaissance building here in 1836–1837; it was named after Princess Sophie (''Žofie'' in Czech), mother of Austrian Emperor
Franz Joseph I Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I ( ; ; 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the Grand title of the emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 1848 until his death ...
. The single-storey building had a concert hall and social hall, and was opened in 1837 with a ball.History of the Slavonic island
Official site of Žofín Palace. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
Žofín Palace
Official tourist site for Prague. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
Zofin
Prague.net. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
Slovansky Island
Welcome to Prague. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
The Prague Slavic Congress was held here in 1848. In 1925, to commemorate the event, the island was renamed ''Slovanský ostrov''. In 1884 the City of Prague bought the island, including the palace which was rebuilt as a two-storey building. The exterior and interior were renovated in 1991–1994. Since 2005, it is the annual venue for Forum 2000.


Musical performances

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8September 18411May 1904) was a Czech composer. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predec ...
held his first concert here in 1878. Berlioz, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Wagner appeared in concerts in the palace. ''
Má vlast (), also known as ''My Fatherland'', is a set of six symphonic poems composed between 1874 and 1879 by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. The six pieces, conceived as individual works, are often presented and recorded as a single work in si ...
'', a set of six symphonic poems by
Bedřich Smetana Bedřich Smetana ( ; ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival". He has been regarded ...
, was first performed in its entirety in Žofín Palace on 5 November 1882.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zofin Palace Palaces in Prague Music venues in Prague Convention centers in the Czech Republic Buildings and structures completed in 1837 Music venues completed in 1837