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Křižík Fountain (Křižíkova fontána)
One of the most remarkable objects of the Prague Exhibition Grounds is the light fountain, built by the inventor František Křižík. The Křižík Fountain offers a multilayered experience. There is a big amphitheatre that can accommodate more than 6,000 visitors. The fountain works using almost 3,000 water jets, 49 water pumps and 1,300 lights of all colours. The unique water show, lighting effects and wonderful music will enchant you. Nowadays, the venue is used for short-term events - concerts, shows, theater plays or gastronomic events.
- Monuments & Architecture
- fountain
- Arts & Entertainment
- theatre
Contacts
- Křižík Fountain (Křižíkova fontána)
- Areál Výstaviště
- 170 05 Praha 7 – Holešovice
- +420702128232
Programme
Object history
The fountain, created by a genius inventor František Křižík for the Jubilee Exhibition in 1891 was a technical miracle of its time. Back then, Křižík used 26 arc lamps, which were his invention, for a fountain of 30 x 40 m. The lamps were under a glass ceiling, and there were about 50 water jets around them. Spurting water was forced via an electrical engine up to several metres high, and strong light sources located under the water surface illuminated it from below, with coloured filters rotating in front of the lights. All that was controlled by a single pump, which in addition controlled other fountains in the surroundings as well. The changing colour of the white-water against the dark sky evoked vibrant impressions. „Fontaine lumineuse“ was well known throughout Europe. During the World War II, the original pool was changed to a fire tank, and over time the entire premises got waterlogged and the building was in emergency.
Approximately a hundred years later, on the 15th May 1991, the renewed fountain was put back to operation via the Vltava symphony by Smetana. This was achieved thanks to the Projektový a architektonický ateliér Praha (Projecting and architectural studio in Prague), certified engineer architect Zdeněk Stašek and ing. arch. Milan Honzík. An unforgettable impression is created by 1248 underwater lights with five colour spectres, a water surface of 1,500 m2, with a volume of 1,650 m3. There are about 60 loudspeakers providing for the sound distribution. There are 24 pumps underneath the fountain with an output of 70 l per second and displacement of 20 m. Cables and pipes in an underground corridor distribute water to three thousands of jets. Today, the fountain is controlled by a computer with special custom-made software. New programme is written for each new performance. The visitors may see light and water performances with classical as well as modern music, or staged performances, such as Carmen or Romeo and Juliet, the Swan Lake, the Water Nymph, and many others.
Information source: www.navystavisti.cz