The world-famous concert hall has been the home stage of the Czech Philharmonic since the orchestra’s very first public performance on 4 January 1896, when it played here under the baton of Antonín Dvořák. The hall served its purpose until 1918 when a decision was taken to convert it into a plenary room for the new Czechoslovak parliament. Concert activities returned to Dvořák Hall in 1940–1942 under the project of architects Antonín Engel and Bohumír Kozák. Since then the hall has not seen any significant changes. Its central element is the organ, built according to Zítek’s and Schulz’s plans by Wilhelm Sauer from Frankfurt an die Oder.