Yesterday
After more than a quarter of a century, the decorative lighting on the historic National Theatre building is set for a major refurbishment. The City of Prague’s technical services department will replace all 235 light fittings and will also modernise the control system, the electrical wiring and part of the cabling. The new system will highlight the building’s architecture more effectively whilst reducing the energy consumption of the lighting system.
The evening silhouette of the National Theatre is an integral part of Prague’s skyline. However, the current decorative lighting system dates mainly from the turn of the millennium, and some of the cabling is even older. Although it has been regularly maintained and inspected, some of the light fittings have reached the end of their service life and further repairs would no longer be cost-effective.
The City of Prague’s technical services have therefore undertaken a complete overhaul of the system. In addition to all 235 light fittings, the control units will also be replaced, and the cabling and distribution boards will be modified as necessary. The work must respect the listed building and its architectural features – for example, part of the original electrical installation runs directly within the walls and is not easily accessible.
The new lighting will offer significantly more precise adjustment options. The colour temperature of the light can be adjusted within a range of 2,200 to 4,000 kelvins, and for some sculptural elements, monochromatic green light can also be used. The aim is not to alter the appearance of the National Theatre at night, but to work more sensitively with its architecture – highlighting the cornices, sculptures, roof and other details, and achieving a more even lighting effect.
The refurbishment will also ensure more reliable operation and lower energy consumption.
Prague City Council’s technical services have also recently refurbished a pair of historic street lamps by the staircase between Národní třída and Divadelní ulice, which was reopened in 2023 following its renovation. The new lamps are based on the historic design of the lighting around the National Theatre and retain, amongst other features, the characteristic braided spherical light fittings.
Further work is also being planned on the Nová scéna site. On the operations building, approximately 120 existing recessed lights are to be replaced with 79 more energy-efficient ones. As part of the ongoing comprehensive renovation of Nová scéna, plans also include the future renewal of the electrical wiring for public and ceremonial lighting.
Since March 2026, the New Stage has been undergoing extensive renovation, scheduled to last two years. The refurbishment of the lighting in the Historic Building and other parts of the complex thus complements the gradual transformation of the National Theatre’s grounds, where 19th-century and second-half-of-the-20th-century architecture meet contemporary technology.
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