PONREPO, screening hall of the National film archive, is located in BIO KONVIKT, historically valuable refectory Konvikt, reconstructed in the nineties of the last century. In 14th century here was house Jerusalem with a chapel of St. Maria Magdalena, which was founded in 1375 by Jan Milíč from Kroměříž for penitent women. Later here was built spacious house with four wings around a yard, which reached up to the Konviktská street as a dance-hall.
An organ school was also situated here, Antonín Dvořák belonged among its pupils too (later he was for some period director of this school).
Konvikt hall became one of main cultural centres in Prague of the end of 18 th century. This tradition continues also in the 19 th century. Gradually many excellent foreign and Czech musicians performed here. Namely for instance Ludwig van Beethoven, Ference Liszt, Anton Grigorjevič Rubinštejn, Richard Wagner, two famous Czech violin virtuoso Ferdinand Laube and František Ondříček and pianist and composer Jan Ladislav Dusík. Balls, casual theatre performances and exhibitions were organized here too. The hall was part of history of national renaissance with the first Czech ball organised on 5th February 1840. The ball initiator was Josef Kajetán Tyl supported by young poets (Karel Sabina, Václav Bolemír Nebeský and others). The ball was not only socially successful but it was also a political act which found successors all over the country. Remind you that in 1883 here was introduced
a new social dance “česká beseda”, created after stimulation of Jan Neruda.
In modern era Prague inhabitants started to visit newly adapted hall of that time very popular cinema BIO KONVIKT. After 1945 marionette film studio of Jiří Trnka, which brought fame to Czech cinematography all over the world, started its activities in adapted hall of former Konvikt.
In seventeenth century the whole complex Konvikt got into bad construction conditions and even few emergency assessments were announced. Therefore it was decided about a general reconstruction of the building, which preceded architectural and archeological research. But a total reconstruction was not realised, only the reconstruction of the building, which preceded architectural and archeological research. As late as in 1996 Konvikt won its former beauty and returned to its cultural function.
Worked out based on books:
Emanuel Poche - Prahou krok za krokem.
Josef Hrubeš and Eva Hrubešová - Pražské domy vyprávějí I.