Hankův dům, Theatre in Dvůr Králové nad Labem, Czech Republic

Hankův dům is a theater building in Dvůr Králové nad Labem with a rectangular layout and classical architectural details including symmetrical window rows and decorative stone elements on the facade. Inside, regular performances, concerts, and dance events take place that shape the city's cultural offerings.

The idea of building a Czech theatre arose on 12 January 1861, the day Václav Hanka died; the town funded the project. The first foundation stone was laid in 1867 and a second on 16 April 1873. Builder V. Kaura carried out the design of Josef Zítek. A 1904 reconstruction added a curtain by Vladimír Županský, and the building has been a protected cultural monument since 1991.

The house is named after Václav Hanka, the philologist who in 1817 announced the discovery of the Dvůr Králové Manuscript in the tower of the church of St John the Baptist; the idea for the theatre arose on the day of his death, 12 January 1861. The curtain painted in 1904 by Vladimír Županský, a pupil of Vojtěch Hynais, shows the poem Jelen (The Stag) from that manuscript; it was removed in 1969 and returned to the stage after restoration in 1980.

The theater has a box office where you can buy tickets for upcoming shows, and also offers subscription programs for regular visitors. The best time to visit is during the performance season when the full program runs and most events take place.

The building has two foundation stones: the first was laid and ceremonially tapped in 1867, the second on 16 April 1873. The neo-Renaissance facade carries six caryatids supporting the main cornice, and above the first-floor windows winged putti hold laurel wreaths with the Czech lion, a bust of Václav Hanka and the town coat of arms.