Parliament Hidden in Small Streets and Squares

Abstract

Abstract Parliament is the space where politics and (constitutional) law literally take shape. Here, collective decisions take form in a specific setting where relationships between various political actors are organized through architecture. The architecture of spaces of political congregation is not only an abstract expression of a political culture – it participates in politics and it is part of the constitutional system. This paper focuses on the question, whether the location (and architecture) of the seat of the parliament is somehow significant for decision-making practices and for the role of the parliament in the constitutional system and for its values. This is discussed based on the example of the seat of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The parliament (and especially the Chamber of Deputies) is one of the key institutions in Czech constitutional system. This is kind of paradox, because unlike other significant parliaments, the buildings of the Parliament of the Czech Republic are not dominant of the city of Prague.