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History
Rudolfinum. The House of Artists in the true sense of the word, both in the purpose to which it is dedicated as well as in its monumental noble building and also in its location, in a quiet corner of the Crown Prince Rudolf embankment, opposite the lovely orchards of Letná. And it is a center of musical and fine arts especially, for, in its beautiful concert hall, the most famous Prague concerts are held and, in its halls, all the larger exhibitions of paintings are held.
Letem český světem, 1898 [1]

1868–1873
How It All Began
The construction of Rudolfinum as a multi-purpose building, the concept of which was unprecedented at the time, was initiated by the Böhmische Sparkasse (Czech Savings Bank). Founded in 1825, the oldest monetary institution in the Czech Kingdom decided to celebrate its 50th anniversary by donating 400,000 guldens to an as yet unspecified charitable cause.

The then director of the institution, Wenzel Worowka the Knight, persuaded his colleagues on the board to direct the money to support the visual art and music. The planned venture was intended to affect all clients of the savings bank, regardless of nationality or social class. And the art was seen as a common good for all people. On 19 November 1872, the general meeting of the Savings Bank approved the construction of the House of Artists and preparations for the project could begin.

A plot of land on the right bank of the Vltava river, exactly opposite Prague Castle, was chosen as the site for the new building. The site, referred to as a "rayard", was then "an inner periphery where low buildings, enclosures and other structures related to wood storage, saltpeter production, and other economic purposes rose from the irregular natural bank" [2].

The transformation of the whole area began with the construction of the chain gangway between 1868 and 1869. This was followed by the purchase and demolition of the old waterfront houses and, in a few years’ time, the footbridge was followed by the Rudolfinum construction (from June 1876), the waterfront redevelopment (1878), the construction of the School of Applied Arts (1882) and the Museum of Decorative Arts (1897). In the 1920s, the building of the Faculty of Arts of Charles University completed the image of the place, this "island of art and education".

Why is Rudolfinum Called Rudolfinum?
Already in 1873, the savings bank decided to name the new art stand after the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Rudolf. The building itself was intended as an expression of loyalty to the Habsburg family and the Austrian monarchy. Furthermore, the young archduke was very popular at the time. However, another member of the Habsburg family, the art-loving emperor Rudolf II, was also kept in mind when choosing the name of the building. To make matters more related to Rudolf, the adjacent embankment and the nearby chain footbridge had also born his name.

Rudolfinum / Past performances

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