The National Theatre stands on the Vltava embankment, its golden roof visible from Charles Bridge. Built between 1868 and 1881 as a monument to Czech culture during the period of Austrian domination, it was funded entirely by public donation — including contributions from Czech emigrants across the world.
The interior, designed by a group of artists known as the "generation of the National Theatre," is lavish: painted curtain, gilded ceiling, sculptures on every surface. The theatre houses opera, drama, and ballet. The new Nová scéna (New Stage) building attached to its side, a glass cube designed in 1983, is a striking counterpoint to the 19th-century original.