A year before the ceremony, the Austro-Hungarian Compromise had been concluded during which Vienna didn’t grant the wish of Czech representatives to have a certain independency within the monarchy. Therefore the celebration became an occasion to show protests and had a Slavic undertone.

Czech patriots had been contemplating the building of the so called Gold Chapel or National Chapel (as the theatre was called since the very beginning) since autumn 1843. They were looking for a suitable place for quite a long time and came with different proposals. One of the most common ones was Dobytčí trh (Cattle Market) or the very centre of Koňský trh (Horse Market) that is currently known as Wenceslas Square. Eventually a completely different and in a way genial solution was found. The plot where the theatre was eventually built was close to river Vltava, right between Vyšehrad and Prague Castle, directly opposite Petřín hill and above the river in whose waters the building is reflected like in the mirror. On the other hand, it was a very difficult place from the construction point of view because of the underground water leakage that raised the building’s expenses.

Architect Josef Zítek designed the National Theatre building in the style of Italian Renaissance by which our ancestors officially declared themselves to be followers of the classical ideal of Temple of Muses.

Stone after stone

It would be hard to identify who originally came with the idea of using stones from various memorable locations of the country for the foundation of the theatre. Originally all stones were supposed to come from the hill Říp which is connected with the legend about the forefather of Čech (Czech). A huge basalt stone weighting six tons was broken out from Říp on 5 th April 1868. Stonemasons engraved an inscription into it saying: From Říp Čech took his home, at White Mountain died alone, in mother Prague raised again.

On 10 th May 20, 000 people gathered at the top of Petřín. The huge block of stone was loaded on a decorated carriage that was dragged by three pairs of white horses and afterwards it was taken by a boat via the Vltava river to Prague where it was welcomed in front of Poříčská Gate.

In the meantime, other memorable locations applied for the honour; Blaník, Radhošť, Vyšehrad, Moravian Hostyn, Žižkov, Svatobor by Sušice, Branka by Náchod, Boubín, Zlatý kůň, Trocnov, Prachen by Horazdovice, Cerchov, Buchlov, Lipnik, Helstejn, Doudleby…they all wanted their stones to be placed in the foundation of the building, saying that they are equally important. From South Moravian Podivin they sent a brick that was made from local clay and water from a spring which according to a legend Methodius’s companion Cyril himself used for baptising.

Transportation of each stone became a celebration. Some of them came by a train, others on raft via the river Vltava or were brought by decorated horse teams. These were triumphal travels, accompanied by singing and cheering. Stones were decorated with engravings and flowers and accompanied by members of the Sokol society and other patriotic associations’ members who were dressed in national costumes. They were welcomed at the building site into Prague by “fathers of the nation” František Palacký, F. L. Rieger etc. Songs Where is my home?and Hey, Slavs“ were sung. It is estimated that there were about twenty-four stones.

St John’s Fair

The date of the laying of the foundation stone was carefully chosen. 16 th May was a date of St John of Nepomuk’s celebrations when people traditionally partook on St Jon’s fairs. In 1868 in the evening before the church feast, there was a big regatta on the river Vltava with an impressive and unprecedented firework display. Torches were lit, ferry boats were illuminated with lampions and musicians played both symphonic and vocal pieces.

On the following day the parade went from Invalidovna at Karlín through the whole of Prague to the building site. We are talking about 150, 000 to 200, 000 participants! The old building with a salt store had disappeared long time ago and was replaced by a wooden alcove with a white linen copula. The foundation document was on the table together with a jug that was filled with water from Cyril’s stream that was used for ceremonial mortar’s making.

The ceremony was opened by a speech from Liberal Democratic politician Dr Karel Sladkovský, followed by speeches by other significant personalities (F. L. Rieger, J. E. Purkyně, J. Wenzig from Umělecká beseda, architect Josef Zítek, Earl Jan Harrach from Matice česká, J. Hules from Hlahol society, composer Bedřich Smetana, actor Josef Jiří Kolár). Afterwards the ceremonial inauguration of the foundation stone was carried out.

The first personality to take the hammer was František Palacký who asked God to bless the Chapel of the Nation. Afterwards the song “Where is my Home? was sung, the document was inserted in a metal case together with the design of the theatre, a commemorative coin, chalk, mortar and a fragment from the stone seat that came from Hus’ prison in Kostnice, journals, documents, booklets… National representatives inserted the commemorative box into a hole that had been drilled into a granite stone from Loucnovice by Cesky Brod then ten masons in ceremonial outfits started laying all the stones with mortar.

In the afternoon the ceremony culminated by a funfest at Letna. Brew houses, coffee houses and pubs’ owners made their properties available for the purpose of accommodation and for army commander, Czech Montenuova lent 3500 blankets and 1300 straw-mattresses for the occasion. Other 700 mattresses were donated by Hradcany prison. Somethings were borrowed, something rented in order to provide every participant with a place to sleep…


Abandoned Quarry and “Real” Foundation Stone

Interesting findings are connected with the foundation stone from Lounovice. It had been for long time believed that the stone comes from Lounovice that is located under the mythical hill Blanik. In reality the foundation stone was mined in a different place Lounovice which is to be found close to Vyzlovky by Kostelec nad Cernymi Lesy.

It is not difficult to find the place the stone was taken from. You can get off at the bus stop Vyzlovka, cross the dike of Vyzlov pond and take the right path. On the first turn you have to follow a forest path, walk up the steep hill and carry on straight ahead.

Then you follow a metalled road that is marked by a blue tourist sign. If you look around the forest you will see another forest path and few steps away there are distinct marks of quarrying.

On the right side lies the foundation of an old blacksmiths where stonemasons used to have their tools sharpened. Now you are already in the area of the former quarry Kamenka where the real foundation stone of the National Theatre comes from.

There is much evidence; the most persuasive one is from 1963 when magnetometer’s measurements proved the origin of the stone.

Source: Miroslav Ivanov: Fire of National Theatre, Aleš Česal, Otomar Dvořák: Secret History of Czech www.horydoly.cz

Berta Štenclová