Prague Named Best European City for Art Nouveau

The Guardian lists the Czech capital among Europe’s top destinations for Art Nouveau; Budapest, Brussels, and Glasgow also feature

Dave Park

Written by Dave Park Published on 30.03.2016 10:48:58 (updated on 30.03.2016) Reading time: 1 minute

In a roundup of Europe’s 10 best cities for Art Nouveau published yesterday in The Guardian, Czech capital Prague (expectedly) features predominantly.

The roundup does not include rankings, but Prague is listed first and the ornate façade of Obecní dům features at the top of the article.

However, the article mistakenly attributes Obecní dům’s outer mural to Czech Art Nouveau master Alfons Mucha.

While many Mucha murals can be seen inside the building, the outer façade was actually designed by painter Karel Špillar.

Murals by Mucha on the ceiling of Obecní dům. Image: Wikimedia Commons / Jorge Royan
Murals by Mucha on the ceiling of Obecní dům. Image: Wikimedia Commons / Jorge Royan

“While Mucha was away in Paris and the US,” Jon Bryant writes for The Guardian, “it was left to architects, Ohmann, Bendelmayer and Dryák to promote Prague’s art nouveau and they did so by combining floral motifs and looping metalwork with a more traditional neo-baroque look.”

Prague is no surprise headlining a list of top Art Nouveau destinations, but some of The Guardian’s other choices are a little less obvious.

Here are their 10 picks for Europe’s best cities for Art Nouveau:

  • Prague, Czech Republic
  • Budapest, Hungary
  • Glasgow, Scotland
  • Turin, Italy
  • Brussels, Belgium
  • Nancy, France
  • Darmstadt, Germany
  • Riga, Latvia
  • Helsinki, Finland
  • Aveiro, Portugal

Some curious omissions, however, might include Barcelona, Vienna, or Warsaw. 

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