Czech Architecture

Looking in to the era of the story we decided to focus on what country it may have been set in. I have started by looking at Czech architecture then moving on to Russian architecture then german to see what fits best for our concept for the 2 rooms.

Architecture
Stone architecture in the Czech lands dates from the second half of the 9th century (rotundas). By the 13th century, the Romanesque style was replaced by the Gothic, which reached its peak during the reigns of Charles IV (1346–1378) and his son Wenceslas IV (1378–1419). Prague has thousands of architectural and artistic monuments of every style, attesting to its long history. Foreign visitors consider Prague one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

 

Czech architecture is influenced by major European trends, yet it still represents Czech identity. At the end of the 19th century, the decorative and stylized Art Nouveau architecture ushered new concepts with the beautiful Municipal House in Prague and the Theatre in Prostejov as prime examples. In the early 1900s, Czech architecture saw the emergence of a unique form of Cubism, with round and crystalline derivation of geometric shapes. For the first time in the world, Cubist forms were applied to architecture, which were implemented during the pre-war years of 1913-14 in Prague to building designs, statues and furniture. Josef Gocár is one of the leading Czech architects who designed many buildings in the Cubist style, of which the most distinguished are the spa pavilion in Lazne Bohdanec and the House of the Black Madonna in Prague. Other outstanding Cubists include Josef Chochol, who designed an impressive building on Neklanova Street in Prague, and Emil Kralicek, who designed the Diamant House in the centre of Prague. The next age of modern architectural construction completely broke away from monumentality and decoration, and found artistic expression in the practicality of space and simplicity. That style has been vividly represented by some of the brilliant architects including Jan Kotěra, Pavel Janák and Josef Gocár.
When talking about the history and culture of Czechia, especially its arts and architecture, one cannot disregard the significant contribution made by its national minorities, in particular its Jewish population. The Jewish Quarter of Prague is a treasury of Jewish art and architecture and is one of the most outstanding Jewish sites in Europe. Known as Josefov, the area incorporates the Jewish Cemetery, a number of synagogues including the Old New Synagogue (XIIIc.), Pinkas (XVc.), Maisel (XVIc.), Klaus (XVIIc.) Synagogues, museums and residencies, and the Old Town Hall (XVIc.).



aquarius international, daredstudio, 2010, http://www.aquariusinternational.cz/en/culture/, accessed 17/03/2011