"Theatre architecture presents a specific phenomenon in the common European cultural heritage."
Theatre buildings represent distinct demonstration of the art of building in its style changes from late Renaissance to present day; their construction and space solutions reflected the period interpretation practice as well as it influenced it. It also bears witness to social relationships and its changes. The equipment of the theatre on the other hand represents the history of technology.
The Database
The European Theatre Architecture (EUTA) database is a long-term project initiated by the Arts and Theatre Institute, Prague. The database is being realized in collaboration with institutions from several European countries and with the support of the European Union, the Czech Ministry of Culture, and other organizations.
The database is one of the main outputs of the project Theatre Architecture in Central Europe (TACE) which was realized in 2008-2011 with a grant from the Culture Programme of the European Union. This project included support for a technical solution, and the database was filled with information on more than 200 theatre buildings. The comprehensive encyclopaedic entries were written by experts in the field of architectural history on the basis of detailed archival research. The database includes information on theatres in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, always in the language of the relevant country with an English translation. The entries also contain basic technical information on all the theatres and are accompanied by a wealth of photographic documentation. The database can display the theatres on a map with a chronological filter and on a timeline.
From 2012 to 2017, the Arts and Theatre Institute is expanding the database in the framework of the project European Route of Historic Theatres (ERHT), which is being realized by the Berlin-based PERSPECTIV – Association of European Historic Theatres in Europe – and fifteen partners in twelve countries. This project, too, is funded by a grant from the Culture Programme of the European Union. Its focus is on still existing historical theatres in all of Europe, from the Renaissance to the beginning of the 20th century. It will also provide a more detailed analysis of these often unique buildings – the database will contain information not only on the theatres’ construction history, but also on their surviving historical equipment, decorations, costumes, etc.
For a good example of such an entry, see Castle Theatre Český Krumlov.