Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AN EPIC SLAV TALE
ByfarthemosttalkedaboutexhibitattheVeletržnípalácisMucha's
SlavEpic
(
Slovanská
epopej
), a series of twenty oversized canvasses painted between 1912 and 1928 following
the return of Mucha, who had become the most famous artist of the Art Nouveau period in
Paris, to his homeland. The complete set, dramatically depicting monumental events in the
tempestuous history of Slavdom with a heavy Czech bias, was first exhibited to the public
atthespankingnewVeletržnípalácin1928,MuchahavingdonatedtheworkstotheCzech
state on the condition that a suitable venue was constructed to house them. Not possessing
such a building, the National Gallery found a “temporary” home for the huge paintings in
a disused chateau in the sleepy Moravian town of Moravský Krumlov, their unlikely resid-
ence throughout the Communist period.
In the early 2000s the city of Prague decided
Slav Epic
belonged in the capital and
launched a legal battle to have the canvasses transferred. The authorities argued that more
people would see the paintings in Prague than might be prepared to make a special trip
to an obscure town in the countryside. Against the move was the Mucha Foundation, run
by Mucha's grandson John, who claimed there was no suitable permanent venue for them
there. Demonstrations took place in Moravský Krumlov where locals were obviously re-
luctant to lose their main tourist attraction, but in the end Prague got its way, and the cycle
now hangs in the Veletržní palác as a “temporary exhibition”. Where it will go from here,
if it ever does, no one knows.
Výstaviště (Exhibition Grounds)
U Výstaviště • Free • 220 103 111 • Tram #12 or #24 to Výstaviště Holešovice
Five minutes' walk north from the Veletržní palác brings you to the
Výstaviště
, a motley as-
sortmentofbuildings,createdforthe1891PragueExhibition,whichhaveservedasthecity's
main trade fair arena and funfair ever since. From 1948 until the late 1970s, the Commun-
ist Party held its rubber-stamp congresses in the flamboyant stained-glass and wrought-iron
Průmyslový palác
at the centre of the complex.
The grounds are at their busiest at the weekend, particularly in the summer when hordes of
Prague families descend on the place to down hot dogs, drink beer and listen to traditional
brass band music. Apart from the annual trade fairs and special exhibitions, there are a few
permanent attractions.
Planetárium
Mon 8.30am-6pm, Tues-Thurs 8.30am-8pm, Sat 10.30am-8pm, Sun 10.30am-6pm • 50-130Kč •
planet-
