Žofín Palace

"In 1830, miller Václav Novotný acquired the island and constructed a house between 1836 and 1837. He replaced the old pub with a one-story Renaissance building designed by architect Carl Pollak, which included a concert hall and a social hall. This new structure, connected to the mainland by a wooden bridge, quickly became a significant center for political, cultural, and social activities in Prague. The building was inaugurated with great festivities in 1837, marked by an extravagant ball. Notably, it hosted the Slavic Congress on June 2, 1848, which featured prominent speaker Ludovít Štúr. To honor this event, Slovak student associations donated a memorial plaque to the building in 1936. In 1925, the island was officially renamed to commemorate the Slavic Congress. The venue was famous for hosting national dances called “beseda,” with proceeds benefiting Bohemian national institutions. Notable figures, including writer Božena Němcová, attended the balls here in the early 1840s. Throughout its history, Slavonic Island has hosted numerous significant events, including All-Slavonic bazaars, exhibitions, and concerts. Renowned composers such as Franz Liszt, Hector Berlioz, Zdeněk Fibich, and Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky performed here, with Richard Wagner conducting his first concert in which he faced away from the audience in 1863. The future violin virtuoso Jan Kubelík had his debut performance at this venue, and Smetana’s *Má vlast* was played for the first time here as well. The Žofín Academy, a notable Bohemian-German music association, was established in 1840, and the choir Hlahol frequently performed at the venue. Antonín Dvořák had his first solo concert here in 1878, while Ukrainian politician and writer Ivan Jakovyč Frank received a plaque commemorating his performance in 1891. In 1884, the City of Prague purchased the island and initiated a major renovation of the existing building to better accommodate the needs of the public. The project was designed by architect Jindřich Fialka, resulting in a new two-story Neo-Renaissance building. Parts of the original structure, particularly the basement and sections of the ground floor, were preserved. The spa facilities situated in front of the building were demolished in 1928. Fialka’s design was later expanded by architect Achille Wolf, who added ground-floor restaurants and enlarged the main hall. The new architecture features a saddle roof with a metal truss, a grand staircase leading to the main hall, and richly decorated interiors, including a coffered ceiling painted by František Ludvík Duchoslav. The building can accommodate 580 visitors in the large hall and 150 in the small hall, along with a lounge for around 80 people. A unique aspect of the building is its lack of bottom insulation, as it rests on a base of oak beams, featuring ventilation cavities and pumping wells to manage groundwater levels. A comprehensive renovation took place between 1991 and 1994, led by architect Tomáš Šantavý and engineer Alexandr Döbert, restoring the ceiling paintings and revitalizing the structure. The building was reopened in 1994, and today, Žofín stands as one of Prague's most prominent cultural and social centers, continuing to host a variety of events and gatherings."

"This neo-renaissance building situated in Slavonic island (Slovanský ostrov) was named after Princess Sophie (Žofie in Czech), mother of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. Over the years, musicians such as Dvořák, Berlioz, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner raced the palace with their performances. Notably, Bedřich Smetana's iconic work "Má vlast," received its debut performance here as well. "