Dancing House

Prague is filled with historic buildings and sights, but modern architecture can also be found in the city. One of the most striking buildings is the Dancing House, right on the banks of the Moldau near the Jirásküv Bridge. The building with its undulating lines was designed by the American architect Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić on behalf of the Dutch ING Bank. These are actually two buildings reminiscent of a dance couple, hence the nickname 'Fred and Ginger' (after the legendary dance duo Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers).

The building sits next to the house where the Czech ex-president Vaclav Havel lived from his childhood until the 1990s. He supported the plan to erect a striking building on the empty spot next to his house. Havel hoped that it would become a cultural centre. It was not, it is an office building that is not open to the public, with the exception of the top floor. There is a chic French restaurant - Ginger & Fred - where you can not only have an excellent meal, but also have a beautiful view over the Moldau.

The citizens of Prague were initially very divided about this modern architecture in their historic city. Ten years after the opening, they seem to have reconciled with the Dancing House. The building was even depicted on a gold coin in 2005.