The Dancing House was created at a time when Prague was searching for a new identity. It found it in architecture that moves not only in form, but in thought.
It rose from the courage to go where no one expected. Not everyone understood it at the time.
It became a symbol of freedom, dialogue
and a new era of Czech architecture.
Explore its story
Empty Space in the City
The site where the Dancing House stands today remained vacant for a long time after the bombing in 1945. The gap at the corner of Rašínovo Embankment became a symbol of an unresolved urban space. It was precisely this uniqueness that later opened the way for more daring architecture.
When Visions Meet
The idea for the building emerged from a dialogue between architect Vlado Milunić and Václav Havel. It was not merely about filling a gap, but about creating a house with a cultural dimension. Frank Gehry was invited to join the project, approaching it as a smaller-scale experiment.
A Form Shaped Through Dialogue
The design evolved through collaboration between Milunić and Gehry, often through the exchange of physical models. The final form is a blend of distinct authorship and necessary compromises with its surroundings. It was at this stage that the silhouette emerged – one that clearly sets the building apart.
A Building That Sparked Debate
Constructing it in the historic city centre required sensitive technical and urban planning solutions. The project drew attention from both the public and experts even during its construction. Upon completion in 1996, it became a striking example of Prague’s contemporary architecture.
An Icon That Lives On
The Dancing House has found its place both in the city’s skyline and in its everyday life. Today, it brings together offices, a hotel, and gastronomy, attracting locals and visitors alike. What began as an experiment has become a respected symbol of contemporary architecture.
Did You Know…
The rooftop “Medusa” atop the Dancing House is made of stainless steel mesh, open at the top, and measures 7 metres in diameter.
The characteristic “pinched” waist of the “Ginger” tower also emerged as a practical solution: neighbours had complained about obstructed views, and this intervention required the design to be reworked.
During the design process, Gehry and Milunić exchanged physical models by post across the ocean (in a time before today’s digital tools), and Milunić described this exchange as “love letters.”
The Dancing House has become one of the most photographed buildings in the Czech Republic.
Without freedom, it would never have been built. Without courage, it would have remained just a dream.
A House That Isn’t Afraid to Be Itself
Václav Havel saw the Dancing House as more than architecture. He saw in it a symbol of openness, a dialogue with the world, and the courage to embrace difference.
Architecture in Motion
See it through the eyes of owner
It is important to realise that you are not merely managing a building or a piece of real estate. This house is an original – an artwork and an architectural legacy. And for that very reason, it must be approached differently from a conventional building, both in terms of technical considerations and in its management, operation, and the functions that take place within it.
Štěpán Smrčka, PSN Head od Development
We acquired the Dancing House from ING at a time when it functioned as an office building closed to the public. A new vision under Mr. Skala gradually opened it up to people – introducing a gallery, restaurant, and café, and transforming it into a vibrant, living place.
Miroslav Kurťák, PSN Acquisitions Manager
Since 2013, the Dancing House has been part of our portfolio, evolving into an open and vibrant place for both the public and businesses. It now offers a hotel, gallery, café, the Ginger & Fred restaurant, a popular terrace bar, and offices with views over Prague. Even after thirty years, it still has much to offer.
Helena Hyánková, PSN Letting Manager / Deputy Director
The Dancing House Is Not the PastIt Is Still in Motion
Today, the Dancing House is more than just an icon in photographs. It is a living place – one you come to for an experience: to stay, to taste, to explore.
It lives through culture. It lives through people.
It lives through the city. And it keeps dancing.
Your Messages to the Dancing House
8. 4. 2026
What I like about the Dancing House is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Jirka from Dejvice
2. 4. 2026
I remember the debates at home when it was being built. Some said it was a scandal, others that it was the future. At the time, I didn’t know what to think. Today, I feel both sides were partly right.
Jakub
1. 4. 2026
I first encountered the Dancing House not as a tourist, but as an assignment. In my second year of architecture school, we were asked to analyse it, and I remember thinking there was nothing to explore – it was just a well-known building. But the deeper I got into it, the more I realised how many decisions, compromises, and how much courage it embodies. Since then, I never just pass by – I always discover something new.
Ondřej Ch.
26. 3. 2026
I first saw it as a child from a tram and couldn’t understand why it was crooked. Today, I pass it on my way to work and it feels completely natural. Maybe I’ve just grown used to it – or maybe I’ve come to understand it.
Klára
26. 3. 2026
One of the first photos my partner and I took in Prague was right here. We keep coming back to it, always saying that’s where it all began.
Lucie & Tomáš
26. 3. 2026
For me, the Dancing House is the first place I show to every visitor from abroad. I always wait for their reaction – and it comes every time. Prague knows how to surprise.
Martin P.
Do you have your own memory of the Dancing House?
A first impression, an encounter, a photograph, a story connected to it? Share it with us. We’re interested in how the building lives in your eyes – and what it means to you after 30 years.
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Photography: PSN archive, Dancing House archive, and publicly available sources
