Grand Hotel International Prague

Construction of the hotel took place from 1952 to 1956, with interior decorations finished in 1957. The original plans were commissioned from the college of architects at the Military Project Institute in 1951, and called the site Hotel Družba, the Russian word for friendship. The original function was military accommodations in a rectangular floor plan to house out-of-town officers. This draft was never sent to the public archives and kept secret. ==Design==

The hotel was built in the socialist realism style. It is the largest Stalinist architecture building in Prague at tall, The hotel is divided into two symmetrical wings, with a large central tower, and the former officers' gym was converted into a convention hall with a bar. The entrance hall and the main staircase include a stucco and painted ceiling, marble columns, and artworks on its walls to create a palatial atmosphere. The original lobby, reception area and main staircase have all been preserved. The hotel still has some of its original furniture mixed with some modern features. The five-pointed star atop the hotel has the ability to be lowered on the spire for regular cleaning and maintenance done at night. In 2006, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague acquired the estate of František Trmač, who was an assistant to the architect Jeřábek. It included samples and designs of original tapestry and carpet designs, wall paintings, stucco designs for walls and ceilings, window layouts, parquet and wall paneling, seating furniture and lights. It also included historical photographs from the construction phase of the hotel, and perspective drawings of the surrounding area. Trmač had also designed much of the original furniture. ==Interior art==

The interior decorations of the hotel were overseen by local artists Max Švabinský, and Cyril Bouda. The hotel features wrought iron fixtures, including a staircase railing done by Jan Nušl, a Czech blacksmith. Glass panels are featured in the hotel, which include Czech national motifs from artists Jaroslav Brychta and Vilém Dostrasil. The chandeliers and wall lamps were made in the glassworks from the towns of Kamenický Šenov and Valašské Meziříčí. Some walls of the hotel are painted with plant motifs from artists Josef Novák and Stanislav Ullman. The hotel also features several gobelin tapestries from the Moravská gobelínová manufaktura, which includes Czech national and folklore themes. The largest tapestry called Praga Regina Musicae is located in the entrance hall, and features a view of Prague with the former Stalin monument in Letná Park in the middle. On the top floor of the tower, is a spiral staircase with a colorful bouquet mosaic covering the whole wall. ==Amenities==

The Grand Hotel International has a four-star hotel rating, with services provided in five languages, including Czech, English, French, German and Russian. The hotel features a conference centre that includes 14 halls with a capacity of 1200 people, and other renovations in 2016 increased the number of guest rooms to 278. Dining facilities in the hotel include, The Harvest restaurant, the Racianska Vinarna restaurant, a lobby cafe and bar, and a club lounge on the 14th and 15th floors, with a skyline view of downtown Prague. ==Notable events==

In the 1950s and 1960s, the hotel hosted regular friendship social events for local residents, which later grew in popularity when promoted by the Čedok travel agency, and hosted the annual two-day Staropražský bál for Prague 6 residents. ==See also==