Mahen Theatre, Brno

The Mahen Theatre, located in Brno, is a historic and architecturally significant theatre known for being one of the first public buildings in the world to be illuminated entirely by electric light. Originally built as the German City Theatre (Deutsches Stadttheater) in 1882, the Mahen Theatre was constructed following the destruction of Brno's Reduta Theatre in 1870. The city council, led by Mayor Gustav Winterholler, commissioned the renowned Vienna architectural firm Fellner and Helmer, which specialized in theatre designs, to create a new theatre on Obstplatz (now Malinovský Square).

The theatre's construction was remarkably swift, taking only 16 months from the laying of the founding stone on July 18, 1881, to its grand opening on November 14, 1882. The building features a combination of Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque, and Neoclassical architectural styles, which contribute to its majestic appearance.

The Mahen Theatre opened with Ludwig van Beethoven's overture "Consecration of the House," followed by Adolf Franckel's play "U paní Bruny" and Goethe's "Egmont." Initially serving as a German opera house, the theatre was renamed Divadlo na Hradbách (Theatre on the City Walls) after World War I when it became part of the newly established Czechoslovakia. In 1965, it was renamed in honor of Jiří Mahen, a novelist and playwright who was the first dramatic adviser to the theatre.

The theatre underwent significant reconstruction in 1936 by the company Kolben - Daněk, making it one of the most modern theatre buildings in Czechoslovakia at the time. The Mahen Theatre has hosted the premieres of several of Leoš Janáček's late operas and Sergei Prokofiev's ballet "Romeo and Juliet." Since 1965, it has been the home stage for the dramatic ensemble of the National Theatre in Brno.

Today, Mahen Theatre is recognized as a National Technical Monument of the Czech Republic, with parts of its original electrical wiring displayed in the foyer as a testament to its pioneering use of electric light.