Hotel Praha (Jablonec nad Nisou) Hotel building

Welcome to Jablonica over Nisa. You're standing in front of one of the most important and impressive buildings in the city. Look at this massive building right in front of your eyes. It's Hotel Prague. Even though everyone now knows him under that name, his face tells stories much older than the present. Feel the seriousness, the size, and the undeniable dignity that this object radiates all around. It is located here, on Komensky Street number six, in the heart of the city, and its presence is absolutely undoubted. This building is not just a wall, windows or roof, it is a living witness to many years of urban life, luxury, social change and human destiny. Imagine how the world was changing around this building over the decades, how the faces of people walking around changed, but this building is still standing here reminding us of its rich past.

To truly understand why this building is so noble and why it is so important, we need to go back deep into the past with you. This whole story began at the end of the nineteenth century, at a time of great bloom and growth. Over a hundred and forty years ago, a very ambitious and successful man, Gustav Geling, decided to create something absolutely extraordinary. Between 1879 and 1883, the parts were hovering over a normal building plan. Geling had no intention of building just an ordinary house for accommodation. His idea was a luxury space, which would serve not only as a place to relax passengers, but also as a prestigious social facility for the highest classes of society. When the hotel was inaugurated in 1883, it was a symbol of the great success and modern way of life in this area. Imagine the era when such massive houses were built to inspire wonder, to inspire respect and to show the power and wealth of the time.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself and what you see right in front of you. Even though time was changing relentlessly, the building managed to preserve its face even though it had undergone a number of important modifications. If you look at its overall form, you will see a fascinating combination of different architectural directions. The original body of the building has spread over the years and gained a new dimension. In 1910 a section in Art Nouveau style was added to the main construction. This Art Nouveau brings to the appearance of the building a finer, curler and much richer face, which carries elements of nature and elegance. If you could move in the building in the past, in its inner spaces you would encounter spaces decorated with a style that is characterized by geometric purity and modern elegance, as it was known between two world wars. These interior modifications were designed to give guests a sense of complete comfort, luxury and high social standards. Feel the harmony between the original power and these later, finer accessories.

The history of this place is constantly interwoven with names that might surprise you. Let's now look at the most interesting characters that connect to this place. In 1910, when the building was just expanded by a new part, there was a famous and world-renowned writer Franz Kafka. You might think that he came to rest and rest, but his visit also had a very practical and socially important dimension. Kafka worked here to explain insurance issues and job safety for people working in local factories. It is an absolutely fascinating combination of high literature and everyday, practical needs of working people in this industrial city. Later, after 1945, when the world and society were changing, the new owner, Jan Semerád, took over. He is the one who gave the building the name we know today - Hotel Prague. In his rich history there are also other important names such as the famous Soňa Zborníková, which is also associated with this place. Each of these names left an invisible mark in these walls.

And now I'm going to introduce you to something that may really surprise you and that is not often discussed in ordinary guides. The history of Prague is not just about luxury, nobility or writer's visits. In 1968 there was an event that was absolutely exceptional and unusual in Czechoslovakia. In this hotel, the first officially allowed dance took place with the detection of the female body. Imagine the atmosphere at a time when society was much more conservative and the rules were very strict. This moment shows how this place managed to adapt to a rapidly changing world and what an important role it played in the entertainment and social life of the city. It's the little mystery and the unexpected side of history that gives this place an unexpected dynamic.

Today, this object serves a different, modern purpose. After extensive reconstruction, which took place in 2011, there is space for various cultural events, exhibitions and social events. It is a polyfunctional house, which is no longer just a hotel, but still breathes deeply through its history and serves contemporary society. I hope that this brief view of his rich past has helped you better understand and appreciate this important point on the map of Jablonec above Nisa. Continue to walk the city now, look around you and be inspired by its beauty and mystery. Thank you for your attention and I wish you a beautiful and pleasant rest of the day.