Prague’s rooftops attract fantastic views, gardens and picnics
1.Lucerna Palace, Prague 1
The hidden national spaces are offered by a new national cultural monument, the Lucerna Palace. The Prague café owner Ondřej Kobza took a place in the very center of Prague. In addition to refreshments, he would like to gradually build a community garden there. The Strongbow brand, which became the official garden roof of the Lantern, helped him with this as part of the Nature to the City project.
“I am now working on gradual access, it is not yet possible to open the roof terraces permanently,” says Ondřej Kobza. It must be repaired first. The reconstruction symbolically began about a year ago.
“Now another open day took place in augustwhen people could come see. We will hold such days again within a month. ”Before opening, Kobza runs a closed event club on the roof of the Lucerna Palace. “I have an apartment there, where I hold home lectures, concerts and literary readings.”
At the same time, visitors can buy farm vegetables or cheese from the palace owner Dagmar Havlová, which in the future Ondřej Kobza would like to create the overall impression of a farm in the center of Prague.
The hidden national spaces are offered by a new national cultural monument, the Lucerna Palace.
“The ideal is to be open every day and run something between the viewpoint and the community garden. People would rest, they could have coffee. ”He was inspired by the green roofs of other European capitals. “The first thought was the roof garden. I met Mrs. Havel, who runs an organic farm outside Prague, so she agreed with my idea. ”
Miloš Havel made his first films on the rugged terraces of Lucerna in the 1920s, and Claudia Schifferová made her fitness videos there after 1990, for example. Today, the filmmakers are slowly returning to the terraces.
“It’s an emblematic building that everyone knows. Its architecture is amazing and you can see it from a completely new angle from the roof. It’s hard to describe it to someone who wasn’t there, “says Kobza.
Visitors are not allowed to enter alone. The roof of the Lantern can be climbed by a paternoster or by stairs. So far, only people who have an apartment and an office in the building can enter.
Project partner, Strongbow brand, construction of a community garden in Lucerne in the amount of 600 thousand crowns. Find out more at www.prirodudomesta.cz.
1.Art & Event Gallery Black Swan, Prague 1
Danuše Siering built a nest of Prague bohemians on the eighth floor. From the original plan for a small botanical garden, only the glazed space on the roof remained. Every week, guests of the vernissage and lovers of good cuisine climb to the Black Swan Gallery in the center.
Some time ago, a black sister grew up next to the famous White Swan department store. He had a few bold plans from the beginning. “The construction itself was very complicated, and in addition, the owner of the neighboring White Swan made a solution for us,” says Danuše Siering. “He decided he didn’t want this construction, and he managed to curb it for five long years.”
The complications also affected the very shape of the roof space. The conservationists did not allow the building to exceed the surrounding buildings. In the end, a greenhouse was built on the site. The owner originally planned to create a tropical garden open to the public. “But when I saw the area, my plans changed in my heart,” he recalls.
Danuše Siering built a nest of Prague bohemians on the eighth floor.
“It wasn’t far from flowers to art. The architect Eva Jiřičná helped us with the interior, and the Black Swan Gallery and Theater was established in 1999. ”By then, the roof had undergone further reconstruction.
Today’s Art & Event Gallery Černá labuť offers exhibitions and guided tours of Czech and foreign artists, as well as culinary experiences. “We have a great chef and we have events of all kinds. And with them, the roof over the bustle is definitely a big attraction of the big city, “says Siering.
Over a thousand years of existence, theatrical performances and concerts have taken place on the roof. Over a hundred artists have exhibited their works there. “The nice fact for me is that we have many couples for me and some of them got engaged and married here,” adds the head of the entire space. “When I welcome a newcomer, I often tell them: Leave your worries down and rise to the clouds. It’s better to breathe here. ”
3.National Monument in Vítkov, Prague 3
Vítkov Hill goes on a date or watches fireworks more often than because of history. And now you can go there to the lookout tower. The National Monument in Vítkov opened its roof and prepared a viewing terrace for visitors.
The higher floors of the memorial offer coffee and cake for a longer period of time. A few years ago, the National Museum, which manages the building, decided to open the roof to the public. “It was offered directly for the prospect,” says Barbora Kulihová, who works for the memorial as a producer. “That’s why we gradually built an open space there, which is accessible all year round.”
The viewpoint is really high, at a height of thirty-three meters. The visitor ascends 300 meters above sea level, which makes the terrace only the highest accessible places in Prague. “We will get above the level of the trees that grow on the top of Vítkov,” says the producer, who herself looks around towards Žižkov and the newly growing Karlín.
The viewpoint of the National Monument in Vítkov is really high, at a height of thirty-three meters.
“You can also see the National Museum, Prague Castle, the Týn Cathedral on the Old Town Square, the towers of the bridge gates and the metronome of Letná peeking out of the park. I am always aware of the uniqueness of Prague. ”
In the past, only technicians or maintenance workers could go to the roof of the Vítkov memorial. Therefore, the most difficult thing was to create a relatively large terrace with a safe access road. “A few years ago, only a ladder led here,” recalls the producer. “Nevertheless, many employees of the National Monument sometimes did not resist and climbed up it. Of course, comfortable stairs are waiting for you to visit. ”
You are not a condition either. “For athletes, we offer the opportunity to run those 147 steps, the more comfortable ones can be taken by elevator. because that’s why they like to come back. The terrace on the roof of the memorial offers a slightly different view in each season, ”adds Kulihová.
4.Dancing House, Prague 2
It is only a relatively short time to look at the river from the roof of the Dancing House. There are two ways to get there. The first leads through a French restaurant, located on the top two floors. The second path to the observation deck opens thanks to the Dancing House Gallery, already run by Robert Vůjtek.
“In the past, the space was rarely closed and used, for example for filming, for private parties, or as a handling warehouse,” the gallery director turns back. “When the house was bought by a new owner, his main intention was to open it to the public. Thanks to that, we are not among the tourist places that the Czechs themselves cannot afford. ”
It is only a relatively short time to look at the river from the roof of the Dancing House.
From the roof of the building you can see Prague Castle and Old Prague. In addition to the terrace, the owner has placed a bar here, where visitors to the gallery can also visit the ticket price. According to Vůjtek, it is more than art that attracts an unusual view of the capital.
“For those who only go to the lookout, we have prepared binoculars, which can be seen up to the office of the President of the Republic at the Castle. Czech visitors are also very interested in the neighboring building where Václav Havel lived. They will see his desk from the roof of the Dancing House. ”
Robert Vůjtek himself likes to enjoy the place early in the morning, when the traffic is just waking up down the street. He has the impression that he is reminiscent of places to the good name of Prague abroad. “We got on the BBC and CNN shows with our prospect and the Dancing House Gallery. And when I met a Japanese businessman abroad, he immediately started talking about his experiences, which Dancing House visited. ”
5.Viewpoint of the National Agricultural Museum, Prague 7
The recently opened observation deck on the roof of the National Agricultural Museum with the Living Garden exhibition attracts with its herb garden and interesting views of the surroundings. The roof provides an unconventional view of the capital, Prague Castle, Petrin Hill and Zizkov.
Recently opened observation deck on the roof of the National Agricultural Museum.
At the museum’s box office, visitors can borrow picnic equipment, buy Czech food at the museum shop and unpack and eat everything on the roof lawn. The entrance terrace, where there is, for example, a beehive, enters from the fourth floor by a spiral staircase.
The National Agricultural Museum underwent a complete reconstruction, thanks to which the building was able to return to its original functionalist appearance by the architect Milan Babuška from 1937. The reconstruction cost approximately 70 million crowns.
6.Kotva Department Store, Prague 1
The most popular Terrace U Prince, the roof of the Kotva department store or even unused terraces. Gayane Sargsyan and his colleagues are always looking for new places to invite Praguers for fun. Together they founded the Prague Rooftop Festival.
“Prague lives in the gardens in the summer and in recent years also the Náplavka. However, roofing spaces are a global trend, which Prague lacked, ”describes Gayane Sargsyan.
Together with her colleague, she started to organize film screenings or musical performances connected with culinary experiences directly on the rooftops. The original experience always tries to time well: “When we were preparing a film screening, for example, we could not make it as dark as possible, because we wanted to stay true to the main purpose, ie to see the city at sunset,” says the organizer. “It meant more complicated and expensive projection on LED screens for us, but we got a double experience of a movie at sunset.”
The roof terrace of the Kotva department store is normally accessible.
They most often face a lack of accessible safe roofs. In addition, suitable places are often privately owned and it is not easy to agree on the conditions for holding public social events.
“Prague’s roofs are far from reaching their full potential. The reason is usually insufficient security, “adds Sargsyan. “From a broader perspective, we are proud to be able to contribute to the debate on accessibility and to steer the roof in Prague towards a global trend in the future.”
The festival liked, for example, the terrace at the top of the Kotva department store, which is one of the most commonly accessible. “There are currently two restaurants, one of which also has a nightclub program inside. This is a typical example of outdoor terraces being used mainly as a restaurant or for a private party. We also managed to hold a larger social event held during the day under the auspices of the Prague Rooftop Festival, ”concludes Gayane Sargsyan.
The roof of the Lantern will offer a new view of Prague