Rudolfinum in Prague - Philatelic Photographs on Waymarking.com

This Czechoslovak post stamp issued in 1952, from series devoted to the Prague Spring International Music Festival (Pražské jaro), depicts prominent musical auditorium and one-of the most important neo-renaissance buildings in Prague - Rudolfinum. For decades Rudolfinum is the home-stage of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and one of the main venues for the Prague Spring.

The neo-renaissance Rudolfinum building is located on a site called Rejdište. In 1873 this site was bought by the Czech Insurance Company (Ceská sporitelna), with the goal to build there a House of Artists (Dum umelcu) as part of the celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of its founding. Crown prince Rudolf became the patron of the project and the building was named after him. Well known Prague architects I. Ullmann, A. Barvitius, J. Zítek, J. Schulz a F. Beníšek, as well as Viennese architects A. Wieleman, O. Thienemann, G. Niemann, V. Lunche a P. Köchlin were invited to enter their bids into the project competition. The winners, J. Schulz and J. Zítek, presented the first plans in the year 1875. The facade is an analogy of the fire destroyed Semper Opera in Dresden (1838-1841). The building was finished in the year 1881, the sculptures in the attic gable come from 1884 and during the same year the concert hall and the surrounding spaces were furnished. The inauguration concert was held on February 7, 1885 and in this year also began exhibitions in the adjacent building.

The whole building underwent significant changes during the general reconstruction in the years 1990-1992 according to the project by Karel Prager. During this reconstruction some additions were partly removed (connecting passage), the spaces used for concert activities were newly renovated, and the northern, exhibition part was returned to its original purpose. Of the original decorations only the frescoes on the lounge dome in the west facade were preserved without being painted over.