Dancing House - Architecture and Facts

Facts about Prague Dancing House

• The Dancing House was based on a photograph of Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers dancing together, which is reflected in the two parts of the building made of stone and glass.
• The Dancing House was finished in 1996 by the architect Vlado Milunic in cooperation with Frank Gehry and is officially known as the Nationale Nederlanden Building.
• The Dancing House is a deconstructivist building that amazes people that walk the Prague Rasinovo riverbank till today. 
• The building that stood here before was destroyed during Valentine's Day Bombing on the 14th of February 1945. It was the most destructive raid on Prague during WW2 done by American Air forces who were meant to bomb Dresden, but their radar malfunctioned and navigation mistake brought them to Prague. We discuss it in detail on our Prague Free WW2 Tour.

What is the Dancing House used for?

Dancing House is used for many purposes. It is a hotel, office building, restaurant, cafe, and art gallery all in one.

What is it made out of?

Fred is made out of reinforced concrete and 99 prefabricated panels of different shapes, while Ginger is held by light steel construction, bent columns, and glass.

Our Local Guide Tip

• Visit the rooftop bar of the Dancing House for a stunning sunset view! There is no entrance fee if you get a drink at the bar.
• Nearby dancing house is one of the most overlooked but one of the most interesting museums in Prague. The National Memorial to the Victims of the Heydrich Terror. It is for free and if you are interested in the topic of the Second World War, then visiting it is a must. it is opened for FREE between 9 am and 5 pm every day except for Sunday.
• If you have a camera with a zoom, you can take great photographs of Dancing House from the opposite side of the river, either from the Smichov area or from the Kinsky Gardens.

Dancing House is located about 15 minutes walk from Charles Bridge on the eastern side of the Vltava river, next to Jirasek Bridge. Just follow the river and you will find it easy.

See more of our Prague Travel Tips.

Author: Valeriia Zahradnikova and Vaclav Zahradnik, Prague guides certified by Prague City Tourism agency. Valeriia and Vaclav have worked in tourism for over 6 years and have guided thousands of Prague visitors.