Antonín Balšánek was a Czech architect. In the public history of Prague he is named as a co-author of the Municipal House and as the author of the design of the Neo-Renaissance building of today's Prague City Museum on Na Poříčí.

In the competition for the construction of the Reprezentační dům obce pražské, announced on 5 January 1903, the jury awarded three equal prizes in March 1903. Balšánek received one of them, Josef Pospíšil another, and the team of Alois Dryák and Tomáš Amena the third. After a narrower competition and a request from the Měšťanská beseda association that a plan for a concert hall by Osvald Polívka be included in the building, the city council commissioned the project from Balšánek and Polívka on 14 August 1903. The Municipal House was built to their design between 1906 and 1911; the Památkový katalog describes it as a Neo-Baroque and Art Nouveau building.

The main building of the Prague City Museum was originally to be designed by the architect Antonín Wiehl, who gave up the task. The design of the Neo-Renaissance building was then prepared by Balšánek. Construction lasted from 1896 to 1898, and the building opened to the public in 1900.

Sources

  1. Národní památkový ústav (Památkový katalog)
  2. Prague.eu (Prague City Tourism)