Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, together with Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Institute of Art History of the Czech Academy of Sciences, will take part for the seventh time in the popular architecture festival Open House Praha. Once again, part of the Jilská/Husova complex will be opened to the public and presented by the institutes’ staff through guided tours.
The brewery in the U Sladkých building, the Baroque brewery, the U Dominikána bistro, “Late Brussels,” Ema Destinová, the Mayists, the hanged man, the Baroque gazebo, the hearty squirrel soup at U Vocelků... these are just a few fragments from the history of the Jilská/Husova complex, where three institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences are located today, including the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
The buildings have a rich history dating back to the 13th century. The entire complex was formed by the merger of several buildings in the 17th century. Some of them, for example, were owned by the St. John’s parish for several centuries. However, in the mid-19th century, the parish sold them to the Vocelka family, who demolished the buildings and constructed new ones, this time in the late Classicist style. You can learn more about the history of the institute buildings at the OpenHouse Prague festival. On Saturday (unfortunately, we will not be participating on Sunday this year), guided tours will take place, during which staff members from the aforementioned institutes will share the fascinating history of these historically protected buildings and the CAS institutes housed within them. The event will also feature an exhibition of historical photographs comparing the condition of the institute complex before its renovation in the 1960s with its current state.
