Barrandov Studios: the Hollywood on the Vltava

The nickname sounds like marketing, and partly it is. But Barrandov really has been to Czech film what Hollywood is to America: a place with its own hill, its own terrace and a long list of famous productions. The ambition was serious from the start.

How it began

The studios were built by Miloš Havel, whose family also developed the Lucerna Palace in the centre (see Lucerna Palace). They stand on a rocky hill above the Vltava, south of the city, named after the French geologist Joachim Barrande, who studied the fossils of the Prague basin. They opened in 1933 and were among the most modern in Europe.

The site included a terrace with a view over the river, planned as a meeting place for the film crowd. The terrace is still a recognised landmark of the area.

War and nationalisation

During the German occupation the studios were used by the occupiers. After 1945 Czechoslovak film was nationalised and Barrandov became the centre of the state industry. The Czech New Wave, covered in our guide to Czech cinema history, was made in this system, as were countless comedies, fairy tales and television productions.

The studio also built up a strength in animation and effects, and a skilled workforce of set builders, costume makers and technicians that international productions later put to use.

Foreign productions

After 1989 the studios were privatised, and Czechia competed for foreign work with skilled crews, historic locations and favourable costs. Among the best known are Amadeus, directed by Miloš Forman and shot partly in Prague in the early 1980s, Mission: Impossible in 1996, which used Prague locations, and parts of the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, filmed in Czechia.

This is why the Old Town sometimes shuts a street for a day with trailers parked at the edge. Prague is still a working film location.

What visitors can do

Barrandov is a working studio complex, not a theme park. Whether you can visit depends on the operator's current arrangements. Some have allowed guided visits or events and others haven't. Check the operator's official site, and be sceptical of third-party sellers offering a "Barrandov experience" with no clear link to the studios.

The district itself is a quiet residential area on a hill, and the terrace looks back over the river and the city. It is worth a short trip if you like film, but treat it as a walk, not an attraction.

Barrandov and Prague on screen

If the city is what interests you, follow the locations instead. Josefov has been used for stories about the Golem (see the Golem legend), and the Castle district and Old Town have stood in for other European cities. To plan a walk, try our three days in Prague itinerary.

Getting there

Barrandov is in Prague 5. From Smíchov, trams and buses run regularly; use the official PID journey planner or app, which also sells tickets. Our guide to public transport apps lists what to install.

Do this today

Check the studios' official site for visitor arrangements. If there are none, do the next best thing: watch Amadeus or Closely Watched Trains and spot the locations.