“The interior of the Palác was designed to realize the concepts of a generational space and an independent cultural center.” 

František Skála, author of Palác Akropolis art concept.  

The façade of Palác Akropolis mixes the original layout from the 20^th century with modern colours and magical eye. The interiors of Palác Akropolis connects the past with the present and offers us visions of the future.

When you enter the hall, your sight is caught by metal works combined with natural ones. This is a characteristic feature of all otherwise quite miscellaneous interior design of Palác Akropolis. The cloakroom which serves as a café-garden in the summer decorates a rotating column with a shadow play and on the other hand is a bar resembles a locomotive. Lamps with natural shapes grow up from the metal desks and above them on the ceiling you can find a natural world painted in great detail. Chandleliers resembling raindrops caught in a web hang from the ceiling.

akropolis café 

is wholly tiled with cork and engravings from the real and fantasy world by František Skála. Engravings on the bar, mirrors, showcase, walls, shelves and cabinets are illuminated by rounded lights set in the cork. Lamps as flowers are suspended over the bar where you can buy not only tickets but also t-shits, books and other items. 

 

foyer

serves also as a showcase. 

 

great hall

is decorated both with religious and symbolic elements. Huge polypores are used as lampshades as in the whole Akropolis. You can find various sculptures in the niches and spiral staircases. Such as “modern Charon” – a car transporting the dead to the other side or female and male attributes as wells as an interpretation of the origin of life. You can also admire sculptures depicting the individual types of art or a sculpture of flock of swallows on the ceiling representing the freedom of art. From a balcony you can see a scene a God´s hand handing over a ”gift” – a wallet full of talents. 

small scene

is decorated with golden and copper components. It provides an exceptional technological background – there is a cabin for a DJ or a soundman. It is perfect for smaller events and concerts. Visitors are able to be in the centre of the event or in the calm environment of the lightly equipped zone next to the bar. There are the same pictures on the floor of the small scene as in the foyer and palace halls. The Small scene is directly connected with the Great hall. 

 

theatre bar    

allows you to rest under the antique columns and sit under the peace pipe hanging over the bar. The room is tiled with wood and the natural materials and shapes join components from the trolleybus and other metal items. The Theatre bar offers a “chamber separée” in the corner with private atmosphere similar to a confessional. In the hall leading to the theatre bar, there is another bar “u hada” (at snakes) whose long body coils on the floor.

 

restaurant   

designed by František Skála and David Vávra. It has a surrealistic atmosphere and combines the style of American diner rooms, art deco and the Czech 50^th century. You may admire Skála micro-worlds of deserts, other planets and animals that were exhibited on Expo 92.

Eye into the world

 

In March 1927 the builder and architect Rudolf V. Svoboda started to build the Palác Akropolis. He wished to create a house between Žižkov and Královské Vinohrady with a café and theatre stage that would be equipped with the most modern technique for movie projection. In February 1928, after the house was approved by the final inspection, the owner and architect in one was living his dream about “an extraordinary house where I would find various spaces with great music, theatre and fine-art. Where would I have meetings, a beer, where could I dance with friends and have fun till the morning. Where would you buy things that you cannot buy elsewhere and where you meet people that you would not meet elsewhere.”

Families from better situated middle class found home in this modern apartment house with a romantic café. But the long economic crisis left its mark on the construction industry. The owner of the house must have paid the debts with the executory sale of the Akropolis.  Akropolis was bought by the company for cremation and the cultural ambitions were moved aside.

However, five hundred vacant seats in the theatre affected the theatre man Prokop Leitrich.  He decided to breathe life into the theatre hall with his theatre company Komedie. He waited patiently for the concession and on 23^rd January 1928 the theatre hall was reopened.  After Leitrich, the hall was owned by the popular actor Karel Želenský. He lead the theatre with his wife Laura for six seasons but they failed to create the “big-city-theatre” because the theatre stood too far from the city centre for Prague citizens.

A radical solution was offered by businessman and present director of Velká operetta – Jiří Koldovský. After a huge reconstruction of the hall and a new appointment of a new theatre company the theatre now called Moderní divadlo started its season on 27^th August 1939 with an attractive cast – with theatre and movie stars starring in the dramatic plays. During the 2^nd World War the hall was used for occasional movie projections. After the war there was a theatre again but only for a short time. After February 1948 the theatre was closed and the house served as a storehouse and an eating house.

In 1991 the house was bought by Žižkov theatre and music agency and with help from the Pražská pětka fund the restaurant was reconstructed and reopened. The theatre hall also went through a huge reconstruction and concerts and other cultural events were added to the theatre programme.

Palác Akropolis is now a multifunctional centre for meeting people and seeing various art categories. The symbol of the pulsating eye was inserted between words Palác and Akropolis by the artist František Skála. Thanks to him, the building was brushed up with sand and olive colours and previous relic – the plastic flower on the façade – was changed to the magical eye. Palác Akropolis thus observed as this eye and choose either at home or in foreign countries what to offer the visitors to broaden their horizons.