When we think of Prague, we think of a city steeped in history and one of the most beautiful old towns in Europe. This conception makes us difficult to see the other side of Prague, the most contemporarycitythat providesus instants where classic coexists perfectly with the new forms and styles of 21st century.
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A city struggling to open to the world
The contemporary Prague escapes fromthe prototype of adding in the cities buildings and contemporary symbols to the fashions and the need to trace which exists in the 21st century. The contemporary Prague opens new ways to leave behind decades ofthe Communist regime, which brought hardtimes to the country. Therefore, the contemporary Prague is not a fad, it is a disruptive attitude, a demonstration that since the past decade of the nineties nothing remains of the dictatorship, war and revolutions rather than the legacyof its history.
For this reason, since the fall of the communist regime, they have builtcolorful buildings, original forms, design hotels in Prague and other manifestations in which dark has no place. This dark side lives only in the memorials and historic places.
The Dancing House: icon of the change
If a representation of all this change in Prague has managed to captivate every sense, thiswas The Dancing House building, boosted by the prestigious and internationally recognized architectFrank Gehry in collaboration with the Croatian architect VladoMilunic.
This building with striking forms is located in a privileged place to show off altogether, covering a corner all along the river Vltava and ending a block of colorful houses of classic style. A place where it’s difficultnot to stand out.
It was projected in 1993 and it became the first full contemporary element to be built in the city after the fall of communism.In a city where art and culture are very present, these forms inspired by the iconic dancers Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire could not be more representative.
Kafka for triplicate
Speaking of the most contemporary Prague we also needto mention the end of the century. If there is a figure who knew how to capture the most modern and advanced thoughtsfor its time, the first decades of the twentieth century, hewas Franz Kafka, a famous thinker and a great reference for theliterature world.
As a tribute to itsfavorite son, Prague honouredKafkawith a museum, where from its entry the visitor can noticeitisn’t a classical museum and where interactivity is present everywhere inside; a curious allegorical statue in the Jewish quarter near the cemetery where his remains reside and, finally, most recently, a huge bust whichis a goodexample of modernart.
Located in the new business district and opened in late 2014, the bust of Kafka is a moving sculpture whose blades rotate continuously, forming and changing the shapesof the image. All a wit and an example that the 21st Century is fully installed in the city.