Blue and white balloons at the entrances invited visitors last weekend to explore more than 120 usually inaccessible buildings across the Czech capital as part of the 11th edition of the Open House Prague festival. A total of 104,000 people visited the open buildings and accompanying events. Among the top weekend attractions were First Czechoslovak Republic-era palaces and buildings, the Hartig Garden with Plečnik Pavilion at Prague Castle, and Hodža Villa.
“Thanks to more than a hundred buildings being open this year, most visitors waited no more than ten minutes, and everything ran very smoothly. The diverse accompanying program throughout the week and the incredible effort of everyone involved in the city’s weekend opening offered a wealth of unique experiences once again. The festival helps us understand how architecture impacts our everyday lives — and that it’s something everyone can explore,” says Klára Veselá, director of Open House Prague.
This year’s festival theme was Past Heritage, Future Challenges, with two main focus areas: railways and schools. This was reflected not only in the selection of open buildings but also in the accompanying weekly program of more than 70 events — including lectures, exhibitions, film screenings, and guided city walks.
“The railway-themed program began on the first day of the festival with the opening of the exhibition Forgotten Stations, Future Journeys at the motive power depot of Masaryk Railway Station. In the following days, visitors attended lectures on railway history, toured train station buildings with the architects who worked on their transformation, walked through various railway areas, visited the emerging Center of Memory and Dialogue Bubny, and enjoyed a guided bike tour to the Vršovice Railway Promenade, among many other events,” explains Andrea Šenkyříková, the festival’s creative director.
One of the highlights was the Hodža Villa in Smíchov, built in the 1920s and now serving as the residence of the Luxembourg Embassy. There was also strong interest in tours of the cubist apartment building Diamant and the constructivist Dunaj Palace, which offers a unique rooftop view of the city center. The functionalist EGAP Palace with its iconic paternoster lift was another popular spot.
Many visitors also headed to the motive power depot near Prague’s Masaryk Station, the future site of a new railway museum. Thanks to the festival, the public could visit this site for the first time and commemorate the 180th anniversary of the first steam train’s arrival in Prague. The festival’s visual design — including posters and printed guides — featured the now-demolished Těšnov Station, once considered the most beautiful in Prague. Visitors could also explore the former Praha-Bubny Station, now home to the Center of Memory and Dialogue.
The festival also opened a number of educational buildings — from preschools and elementary schools to high schools and university faculties and dormitories. These were notable not only for their architecture but also for how they address modern educational needs.
“This year, Open House Prague focused on how to build schools for future generations. The capital is facing a population boom, and expanding, revitalizing, and constructing schools should be priority number one,” says architect and educator Osamu Okamura, this year’s guest curator. He believes that Prague is facing a wave of school construction comparable to that of the First Czechoslovak Republic. The festival included several inspiring new-millennium educational buildings, such as the carbon-positive Secondary Vocational School and Training Center and Grammar School on Českobrodská Street, the green pavilion of the Czech University of Life Sciences’ Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences in Suchdol, and one of the first municipal outdoor kindergartens — Milíčův dům Nursery School in Žižkov. The theme Schools for Future Generations followed the festival’s participation in the Open House Europe project.
While fans of classical architecture enjoyed the Baroque Faust House, industrial enthusiasts appreciated the Old Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bubeneč. There was also significant interest in newly developed mixed-use residential and commercial complexes built on former industrial sites, such as the Nusle Brewery and the Smíchov Distillery. The recently renovated Nová Spirála Theater drew attention, as did the National Theater’s operational building, Tyrš House, the Švehla and Budeč student dormitories, and modern retirement homes in Chodov and Bohnice.
The program also included special tours for the deaf and blind, English-language tours, tours for children, and other activities for young visitors.
The festival would not be possible without the volunteers who served as guides, photographers, and organizers in the buildings. This year, around 650 volunteers participated. Lejla Abbasová, a long-time volunteer and ambassador for the volunteer program, said: “I admire every volunteer who took part in the festival this year. It’s easy to be enthusiastic at the beginning, but when it gets tough and you need to persevere, that’s not so simple — especially for those volunteering both days. But I believe all volunteers gained lots of energizing experiences. Hats off to everyone!”
To help visitors decide where to go, the festival offered a free app. It included not only a list of buildings but also details about what could be seen on-site, whether the tour included a guide, and approximate waiting times. “The app isn’t just useful during the festival week. It also allows users to purchase tickets for tours and walks organized by the Open House Prague nonprofit throughout the year,” says director Klára Veselá. Tickets for year-round events are also available on the website, where visitors can find an online store with clothing, bags, posters, and more. Purchases support the nonprofit behind the festival and help ensure that free entry to buildings can continue in future years.
See you at the 12th edition of Open House Prague, taking place May 18–24, 2026!
Comments are closed here.