The Smetana Hall will be closed until March 17 due to falling plaster

Prague - The Smetana Hall of the Municipal House is expected to remain closed until March 17, a week longer than originally anticipated. Plaster is peeling from the ceiling in the Art Nouveau concert hall. All scheduled events in the hall have been canceled, and the Municipal House is negotiating with their producers for alternative dates. The spokesperson for the Municipal House, Žaneta Poláková, informed the ČTK today that the revenue shortfall amounts to approximately 1.5 million crowns, and the cost of repairs is estimated to be up to 700,000 crowns.

Two smaller pieces of plaster have come loose from the ceiling of the Smetana Hall. After the scaffolding was built and an inspection was conducted, it has become clear according to the spokesperson that the hall will be out of service until March 17 - provided no unexpected complications arise.

"The primary cause was likely the loosening of the closure plate around the central stained glass window. Several places on the plate were pressed by a decorative plaster cornice, which gradually became loose over the years due to small vibrations," said Viktor Frič, an expert in heritage reconstruction.

According to the spokesperson, the loss of revenue and the costs of repair will not jeopardize the positive economic result in 2019. The Municipal House is a joint-stock company, wholly owned by Prague.

The Smetana Hall is the largest space in the Municipal House. The ceiling paintings and wall murals are the work of Karel Špillar. The hall is adorned with plaster groups depicting Vyšehrad and Slavic Dances on either side of the stage by Ladislav Šaloun.

The Smetana Hall primarily serves as a concert hall for 1,200 listeners. It has hosted significant world performers. Occasionally, traditional balls or other social events are also held there. The Prague Spring festival is regularly inaugurated and concluded in the Smetana Hall.