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Sep 11, 2026
Prague's Industrial Palace to Reopen to the Public for Guided Tours
Prague Morning
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After a major renovation costing more than CZK 3 billion, Prague’s Industrial Palace at the Výstaviště exhibition grounds will open its doors to the public in two weeks.
From September 25 to October 11, visitors will be able to explore the history and architecture of the landmark and see how it has been transformed during the renovation on guided tours organised by Výstaviště Praha and Prague City Tourism.
According to Výstaviště Praha, the palace will not remain open to the public on a regular basis after the tours. Instead, it will serve as a venue for exhibitions, trade fairs and other scheduled events.
The renovation of the Industrial Palace, including the reconstruction of its fire-damaged left wing, began in February 2022, more than 13 years after the wing was destroyed by a fire in October 2008.
The approximately one-hour guided tour costs CZK 91. Organisers say the symbolic price refers to 1891, the year the Industrial Palace first opened. Tickets are available through the Prague City Tourism website. Places are limited, and some tour dates have already sold out.
The first major event scheduled at the renovated palace will be the Designblok festival in early October.
Built in Just Ten Months
The Industrial Palace was built for the 1891 Jubilee Provincial Exhibition based on designs by architect Bedřich Münzberger. It is considered an important example of both artistic and technical heritage. The building was the first in the Czech lands to feature an architectural design based on a prefabricated iron structure.
Contemporary records show that 450 workers completed the building in just ten months, despite flooding and severe frosts affecting the exhibition grounds during construction.
From the beginning, the palace served as a venue for exhibitions and cultural events, although it was originally intended as a temporary structure.
Between 1952 and 1954, the communist government decided to repurpose the building, ordering its main hall to be converted into a social and dance hall. The building was also renamed the Congress Palace and became part of the Julius Fučík Cultural and Recreation Park, which operated at the site at the time.
One Wing of the Palace Was Destroyed by Fire
On October 16, 2008, a fire destroyed the left wing of the Industrial Palace after items left on an electric hot plate caught fire. The person responsible was never identified.
The renovation did not begin until early 2022. Under the original plans, the work was supposed to be completed last year.
However, once the foundations, floors and suspended ceilings of the right wing were uncovered, it became clear that the condition of the historic building was worse than expected, leading to additional work and delays.
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