Gala Reception

Come and join us at the Gala Reception at the Žofín Palace.

Date: Wednesday, 10 June 2015
Time: 19:30–23:00
Place: Zofin Palace – neorenaissance building on the island
Price: 90 EUR per person
Dress Code: Semi-formal
Programme: During the evening will play THE PARTY BAND at the Big Hall of Žofín Palace. In the Small Hall will play dulcimer music of Moravia.

The fee includes a full buffet dinner (starters, cold and hot main courses, salads, desserts) and unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks.

The Neo-Renaissance Žofín Palace is one of the most notable architectural treasures in Prague. The Large Hall at Žofín regularly hosts the most prominent personalities from business, politics and the arts, not only from this country, but also abroad.

Tickets for the Gala Reception can be purchased at the Registration Desk. Please note that number of tickets is limited.

Cancellations and refunds of the Gala Reception Fee

The Congress Secretariat must be notified in writing by e-mail (registration_orl-hns2015@guarant.cz) or fax (+420 284 001 448) about the cancellation of the Gala Reception. Telephone cancellation will not be accepted. The appropriate refunds will be made after the Congress.

The following cancellation conditions apply to the social event cancellation:

Details on the Gala Reception Venue Žofín Palace

General information

The neorenaissance Žofín Palace is one of the most notable architectural treasures. Žofín Palace is used for important social events, conferences, concerts and balls. The Large Hall at Žofín regularly hosts the most prominent personalities from business, politics and the arts in this country and abroad.

History

In 1835, when Václav Novotný decided to build the first brick building on Slavonic Island (or Dyers' Island as it was then called), he had no idea that the one-storey neoclassical building named after the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph I, Princess Sophie (or Žofie in Czech), would become one of the most important cultural and social centres in Prague and the Czech Lands as a whole. In 1884 the municipality bought the whole island, including Žofín, and over the next two years it converted the building into the present neorenaissance palace with richly decorated interiors and fine halls that have now been part of Czech (and not only Czech) culture for the last 150 years. On 5 November 1882 the first performance of Smetana's My Country in its entirety took place at Žofín, and four years previously, on 17 November 1878, Antonín Dvořák had held his first concert here. The hall at Žofín also hosted performances of Zdeněk Fibich's works; Berlioz, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Wagner all appeared here, and Jan Kubelík made his debut here. Žofín was also a venue for balls and dances. The first was held on 3 February 1841 and two years later the writer Božena Němcová danced here, and Žofín was visited by the poet Jan Neruda and other figures from Czech history.

Since 1994, when the renovation of the palace's exteriors and interiors was completed, Žofín has been managed by Agentura NKL Žofín, s.r.o. The company has restored and added to the glory of this exceptional venue where concerts of classical and popular music alternate with the Žofín Forums, international conferences and wonderful balls. Its location, in a venerable park with a view over Prague's historical panorama, and the magnificent and gloriously decorated halls with original paintings and stuccowork on the ceilings, fitted with modern lighting, sound and projection technology and air conditioning, once more offer unique opportunities and experiences.