Lucerna Palace has been constructed in the Art Nouveau Style and is an iconic place to visit while you are in Prague. There is a lot that is hidden in this place and does not disclose itself at first sight. Thus, you must visit this place when you are utterly free and have a calm mind so that you can explore this artistic place in peace.
Lucerna is a passage which connects Vodičkova and Štěpánská Street. It is termed as a „multiplex“ as it has a lot of elements in one. It comprises of small shops, cafes, and restaurants. This palace and passage both were built by the grandfather of Vaclav Havel, who has been the former president of the Czech Republic too.
This palace was built between 1907 and 1921. It has served as a multipurpose complex since the 20th century for the people of the Czech Republic. This building holds immense importance for Prague as the very first, International Jazz Festival, took place in the Congress Hall of this palace, in 1964. Also, within the same year, Louis Armstrong also performed in this place. Therefore, this place has seen some of the most important festivals and people from the very beginning. There is a lot to do and explore in Lucerna Palace now. It has a cinema, a wonderfully built café which offers exotic food and the rooftop provides a fantastic view of Prague!
CINEMA LUCERNA
Yes, Lucerna Palace has its cinema, which is very beautiful and exciting. It opened in 1909 and has a theatre like a vibe to it. You can enjoy some of the best, highly trending movies in this cinema along with the best theatre festivals too. Thus, there is a mixture of genres that this cinema has to offer.
There are two screening rooms in Lucerna cinema. One can host around 453 people, and the other one is quite small and can accommodate approximately 50 people only. The smaller room was opened in 2013 and is only for a private screening, like movie previews.
MUSIC BAR
Lucerna Palace has a music bar located inside it as well. Events like the International Jazz Festival are connected to this wonderful music bar. This bar is very popular has it has been a huge platform for artists, from around the world. The 80’s pop disco nights are held here which are loved by the people of Czech Republic.
GREAT HALL
The central space of this palace is the Great Hall which was made in 1920. It was considered as a very modern design at that time and was built really smartly. The hall has three underground levels and has the ability to hold in 4000 people. Several famous concerts have taken place in the Great Hall and many ball events still happen in here.
CAFE LUCERNA
Next up, there is a cafe inside the Lucerna Palace. It is located on the first floor of the palace and has a statue of a dying horse with King Vencselav, sitting on him. The statue was made by David Cerny and had been hanging in the palace since 2000.
ROOFTOP
The rooftop of Lucerna Palace has been opened for public just a few years back. There are rumors that the roof will be converted into a rooftop garden for the tourists, but there hasn’t been a lot of news about it. For now, the rooftop of Lucerna Palace is a beautiful place to relax at as view the sunset while looking at Prague from a totally different perspective.
How to get there?
Lucerna Palace is situated in the middle of Wenceslas Square. All the major three metro lines cross here. Get off from the Mustek metro stop, and you will land at almost the front of this magnificent building.