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Powder Tower (Prague)

The Powder Tower (Prašná brána) is a Late Gothic tower on the boundary of the Old and New Towns in Prague, at Republic Square.[1] The Royal Route to Prague Castle starts here.[1][2] Above Celetná Street it is connected to the neighbouring Municipal House, and together they form a national cultural monument.[3]*

History

An older gate, the Horská gate, also called Odraná, stood on the site. One of the main roads from Kutná Hora and eastern Bohemia passed through it.[1] The foundation stone of the new tower was laid on 20 March 1475.[4] Construction was first directed by the builder Václav and from 1478 by Matěj Rejsek, who also executed part of the sculptural decoration.[1] The tower was founded at the bottom of the town moat, about 9 m below today's ground level.[1] From 1488 the building remained unfinished, probably because the royal residence moved from the Old Town back to the Castle.[1] In 1592, under Mayor Krocín of Drahobejl, a new entrance and the spiral staircase still in use today were built.[1] The tower used to be called the New Tower. The name Powder Tower came into use in the early 18th century and is derived from the storage of gunpowder.[4] Prague City Tourism states that the storage of gunpowder in the gate is not documented by sources.[1] In 1757 the tower was damaged by Prussian gunfire.[1]

Gothic Revival restoration

In 1878 the city signed a contract with the architect Josef Mocker.[4] Between 1875 and 1886 the gate was restored and completed in the Gothic Revival style. The sculptors involved included Bohuslav Schnirch and Ludvík Šimek.[1] Statues on the facade depict Kings Ottokar II, Charles IV, George of Poděbrady and Vladislaus II Jagiellon. At the level of the second floor are statues of Bohemian patron saints.[1] A general repair took place in 1961–1963 and a partial restoration of the sculptures in 1992. In 2024 a revitalisation began with a survey and cleaning of the outer shell.[1]

Today

The viewing gallery is 44 m high and is reached by a spiral staircase with 186 stone steps.[1][2] The tower is opened to the public by Prague City Tourism.[1] The Heritage Catalogue of the National Heritage Institute lists it as a cultural monument protected since 1958.[3]

Sources

  1. Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)
  2. Pražský deník — 2009-05-04
  3. Národní památkový ústav (Památkový katalog)
  4. Magistrát hl. m. Prahy (Praha virtuální)

* The sources are collected and the preliminary text of this entry is drafted with artificial intelligence, on the instruction of the editorial staff; the entry has not yet been verified by an editor — report a mistake.