The Dancing House is the name of an office building in Prague, built in 1996.
It stands directly on the Vltava River and immediately catches the eye with its unusual architecture.
Today, several international companies have their office buildings here. There is a restaurant, bar, viewing terrace and a hotel in the Dancing House.
What Can I Do at the Dancing House?
1. Dancing House Gallery
The Dancing House Gallery is located on the first floor of the Dancing House. The gallery shows contemporary art in regularly changing exhibitions. It aims to find young talent and promote young artists.
2. Restaurant
On the seventh floor of the Dancing House is an exclusive restaurant aptly named Ginger & Fred. The decor is artfully modern with a captivating view of Prague. It serves upscale international cuisine with a French influence.
3. Glass Bar
Those who wish can also enjoy the view from the glass bar at the very top of the building or from the small viewing terrace there.
4. Stay Overnight
Since 2016, there has been a modern high-end hotel in the Dancing House. So if you want, you can stay in one of the 21 rooms directly in a sight.
How Do I Get to the Dancing House?
The Dancing House is located on the Vltava River and is easily accessible by metro line B, yellow line, Karlovo Námestí stop.
The Jiráskovo námestí streetcar stop is directly in front of it and is served by lines 14 and 17.
From the Old Town Square it takes about 20 minutes on foot.
Admission to the Dancing House
The Dancing House can be visited at any time, the panoramic terrace and the restaurant are open all year round.
Instagram Phenomenon
Hardly any tourist visits the Dancing House without posting at least one picture on Instagram and that, in turn, is one of the reasons why the Dancing House is so famous.
History of the Dancing House
There used to be a residential building here, but it was accidentally destroyed by American bombers towards the end of the Second World War. After that, the property lay fallow for almost 50 years, there were plans to build a cultural center here, but the financing could not be arranged.
In 1992, the Dutch insurance company, Nationale Nederlanden, bought the land. The building plans were designed by the Czech architect Vlado Milunić in collaboration with his Canadian colleague Frank Gehry.
The building consists of 2 parts, a static and a dynamic one, and is meant to symbolize the dialogue between the concept on the one hand and the society in transition on the other.
The glass dynamic part is reminiscent of a dancer nestled against a gentleman, the static part made of concrete.
Prague residents also affectionately call it Ginger and Fred, after Fred Astaire and his dance partner Ginger Rogers.
Initially, the building caused much debate, with critics saying it did not fit into the image of Prague's Old Town, and supporters praising its bold style.
Contact
- Address: Rašínovo nábřeží 80, Jiráskovo náměstí 6, 120 00 Prague
- Public Transport: Yellow line B, Karlovo Námestí subway station
- Opening Hours: For the opening hours of the restaurant, please visit the following website: