Tyršův dům

Tyrš House is a striking building in Prague's Malá Strana district, just below Petřín hill, that has served for a century as the headquarters of the Czech Sokol gymnastics movement. It takes its name from Miroslav Tyrš, co-founder of Sokol, though the structure itself hides a much older story.

What was here before Sokol moved in?

The core of today's complex is the former Michna Palace, a late-Renaissance building with later Baroque additions. In 1623 its owner, Pavel Michna of Vacínov, expanded an earlier estate that had belonged to the Kinsky family into a five-wing palace. The unfinished east facade was designed by Italian architect Francesco Caratti, while the lavish stucco decoration was created by master plasterer Domenico Galli, with the ornamental work completed by the mid-17th century. The palace changed hands repeatedly until 1767, when the Austrian state bought it and turned it into an army barracks and munitions store for the next century and a half.

How did the palace become Tyrš House?

After Czechoslovakia gained independence, the run-down building was acquired in 1921 by the Czechoslovak Sokol Association, which set out to turn it into its national headquarters. An architectural competition was held, and among more than twenty submitted designs the winning entry came from architect František Krásný. A new gymnasium was added facing the courtyard, along with changing rooms and administrative offices, while an underground swimming pool was built beneath the complex — fed by spring water flowing down from Petřín hill and counted among the oldest pools in Prague. The palace garden was turned into an open-air athletics ground. Tyrš House officially opened in 1925, with President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk attending the ceremony.

What happened to the building afterward?

After the Second World War, the communist regime banned the Sokol organization, and from 1953 the building passed under state administration. Only after 1989, once Sokol was revived, did the Czech Sokol Community regain control of the entire complex, which it still manages today.

What makes Tyrš House worth seeing?

The complex is one of the most recognizable buildings in Malá Strana, combining the Renaissance-Baroque shell of the old palace with the functional sports wings added in the 1920s. Visitors can admire the historic interiors with their preserved stucco work alongside spaces dedicated to the history of the Sokol movement, which for decades played a major role in Czech social and sporting life.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Tyrš House located? The building stands on Újezd street in Prague's Malá Strana district, close to Petřín hill.

Why is the building called Tyrš House? It is named after Miroslav Tyrš, co-founder and leading ideologist of the Sokol movement, which took over the building in the 1920s.

Did the building have another purpose before Sokol? Yes — before Sokol acquired it, it was the Renaissance-Baroque Michna Palace, and later served for over a century as an army barracks.

Can visitors go inside Tyrš House? Yes, the complex is occasionally opened to the public during events such as "Sokolovna Night," which showcase the historic interiors and the gymnasium hall.