The hotel giant at No. 1501/15, Koulova Street in Dejvice is a typical feature of the socialistic realism in terms of architecture and art. The hotel presents within its complex the first collective work of Czech architects, art designers and handcraft workers of the socialistic era.
The building was designed by František Jeřábek and his group of colleagues. The construction of this significant and dominating property, situated at the border of dejvice and Bubeneč, was carried out in 1952-1955. The central high-rise part of the building has 12 storeys. Two building wings connected to the central part have 5 storeys and the inner wings, which are contiguous to the tower, are 8 storied. The high-rise part of the building has a smaller structure on the top with square base and arcade windows. The tower, which was placed on this structure, has an onion cupola, a tall spire with a star on the very top. The whole construction has 16 storeys and an over all height of 85m.
The completed hotel was called Družba and became the pride and grace of the Capital City of Prague. Later the hotel’s name was changed to the International Hotel. In 1990 the hotel was privatized and changed its status to a shareholding company. Shortly after the hotel joined the international hotel chain Holiday Inn but only on the condition that it will be reconstructed and will be adapted to a western standard.
The extensive reconstruction began in May 1996 and was to be completed within one year. The design works were done by the architectural atelier of Michal Šourek & Co-workers. After the agreement with the monument preservation office the architectural and art design of both the exterior as well as the interior were preserved. Prague could then keep this monument of socialistic realism. The red star on the very top was replaced with a green star, representing the color of the Holiday Inn Company. The current name of the hotel is the Crown Plaza.
