The Rudolfinum

The Rudolfinum, a temple of music

The Prague audio-guided tour takes you, not far from the Vltava, before the Rudolfinum, one of the most prestigious concert halls in Europe. It is here that, on approaching the building, a melody of classical music still seems to resonate.

Dvořák and the New World Symphony

Founded in 1885 in a neo-Renaissance style, this vast cultural complex, where concerts and exhibitions cross paths, was made famous throughout the world by hosting, in 1896, one of the first performances of the New World Symphony by Antonín Dvořák, a giant of Czech music, whose statue stands before the entrance. The building also served temporarily as the seat of the Czechoslovak parliament, before fully recovering its musical vocation.

What there is to see

The Rudolfinum impresses with its neo-Renaissance façade, its colonnades and its statues of composers. Inside, the great Dvořák Hall is one of the finest in Europe and hosts the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. The complex also houses a contemporary art gallery. To appreciate its acoustics and its decor, the best is to attend a concert in this high place of Prague music.

Practical information

The Rudolfinum is on Jan Palach Square, by the Vltava, in Prague, near the Jewish quarter. The hall welcomes the public according to its programme of concerts and exhibitions; access follows its own conditions and times. The façade and the statue of Dvořák can be contemplated freely from the square.

Why is the Rudolfinum famous?

For having hosted in 1896 one of the first performances of Dvořák's New World Symphony; it houses the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

When was the Rudolfinum founded?

In 1885, in a neo-Renaissance style; it also served for a time as the seat of the Czechoslovak parliament.