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Karlovy Vary City Theater

- Divadelní Náměstí 21 -
The multi-story building of the Karlovy Vary City Theater, which was built for cultural purposes, was constructed in the period that lasted from 1884 until 1886. The building was constructed according to the design that was created by the architectural studio of the Austrian architect and the German architect . The creation of another theater was accompanied by technical problems and delays related to the building plot, and the construction competition was even canceled. The complex situation was further complicated by the fire of the theater in the fire of the theater in Vienna, and even the fire of the old theater in Karlovy Vary in 1883. For that reason, designs had to be redesigned to meet stricter safety regulations.
The project created by the architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer
A very important component of the theater was the interior decoration. The authors of the paintings on the ceiling vault, the frescoes above the proscenium, and the hand-painted curtains with the motif of the celebration of poetic art were the young Viennese artists, the brothers and and . Another Viennese artist, , is the author of the sculptural decoration, especially in the foyer and the sculptures on the facade of the building. The pseudo-rococo lighting throughout the building is the work of architects Fellner and Helmer.
A drawing from 1902 showing the interior of the building
The first theater building in Karlovy Vary was called the Comödien Haus, which was built in 1717. It was a forty-meter-long structure made of planks and reeds that served as the summer stage of Italian opera companies until 1787 when it collapsed during a performance. The foundation stone of the new, first brick theater in Karlovy Vary was laid on July 15, 1787, and the construction was initiated and financially supported by Doctor . A year later, the theater, named the Schauspielhaus, was inaugurated with 's opera The Marriage of Figaro. The theater began to struggle with technical and hygienic problems, and in 1870 the construction of a new theater began to be discussed. The last performance in the Schauspielhaus was in September 1884.
The first theater building shown in an old map from 1733
In 1910, some modifications were made to the theater due to the increasing complexity of the performances and others followed in the late 1920s. On October 4, 1938, the Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany, , held a speech on the balcony of the theater. A novelty in 1939 was the start of year-round theater operation, and at the same time, for the first time, drama, opera, and ballet were performed here simultaneously. After the , the theater building was used by the Red Army as a temporary Army Cultural House. As a result of the Czechization of the region in 1945, the name of the theater changed to Městské Divadlo. The first Czech performance took place on September 25, 1945. In 1948, the stage was extended, and in the 1950s the paintings were restored. A more extensive reconstruction was started in September 1976 but was not carried out as originally planned. The building was restored between 1994 and 1999, and the ceremonial re-opening of the theater took place on June 24, 1999.
Adolf Hitler giving his speech on the balcony of the theater
The of the Rococo building is covered by a roof that's crowned with . The sides of the auditorium are decorated with garlands, and adorned with foliage, and they feature that are embellished with decorative shells, an , and . The roof of the other part of the building is embellished with loads of and it contains dormers that are embellished with . On top of the northern part of the building, you can admire two sculptural compositions depicting and . Around the same height, you can see various , which are also used in the . The that are part of the roof , which is supported by a lot of , contain even more putti. The majority of the pilasters on the second floor, which are adorned with , a decorative shell, and floral decorations, are crowned with a Composite that features an motif.
The eastern side of the building is visible in an old postcard from 1913
Above the arches of the and the circle-top windows, you can see cartouches containing the coat of arms of Karlovy Vary, as well as richly decorated showing a theatrical performance. The loggias are either secured with a stone balustrade or a wrought iron railing, under which lavishly decorated lion head can be seen. The arches of one of the loggias are supported by columns in which are incorporated. The loggias themselves are decorated with even more putti, cartouches, pediments, decorative shells, and all sorts of instruments. The entrance portal on the eastern side is flanked by columns, topped with a balcony, and decorated with cartouches that feature even more instruments and mascarons. Some of the , which are placed above the first floor windows, are embellished with another mascaron. The entrance on the northern side, which is flanked by two statues of a holding a cartouche, is covered by a richly decorated .
The building is depicted in a painting of Hans Götzinger from before 1913