Page 68 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Prague

66  PR A GUE AREA B Y AREA

1 Powder Gate
Prašná Brána
Náměstí Republiky. Map 4 D3. Tel 725
847 875. X Náměstí Republiky.
v 5, 8, 24, 26. Open 10am–6pm daily
(to 8pm Mar & Oct; to 10pm Apr–Sep).
& ∑ muzeumprahy.cz
There has been a gate here since
the 11th century, when it formed
one of the 13 entrances to the
Old Town. In 1475, King Vladislav
II laid the foundation stone of
the New Tower, as it was to be
known. A coronation gift from
the city council, the gate was
modelled on Peter Parler’s Old Karel Špillar’s mosaic Homage to Prague on Municipal House’s façade
Town bridge tower built a
century earlier. The gate had 2 Municipal House Smetana Hall, sometimes also
little defensive value; its rich Obecní Dům used as a ballroom. The interior
sculptural decoration was Náměstí Republiky 5. Map 4 D3. of the building is decorated
intended to add prestige to Tel 222 002 101. X Náměstí with works by leading Czech
the adjacent palace of the Royal Republiky. v 5, 8, 24, 26. artists of the first decade of
Court. Building was halted eight Gallery: Open for guided visits only, the century, including Alfons
years later when the king had 10am–8pm daily. 8 obligatory. Mucha (see p149).
to flee because of riots. On his 7 & ∑ obecnidum.cz There are numerous smaller
return in 1485, he opted for the halls, conference rooms and
safety of the Castle. Kings never Prague’s most prominent Art offices that are normally closed
again occupied the Royal Court. Nouveau building stands on the but for which you can arrange
The gate acquired its present site of the former Royal Court a guided tour, or you can simply
name when it was used to palace, the King’s residence relax in one of the cafés
store gunpowder in the 17th between 1383 and 1485. or restaurants.
century. The sculptural deco­ Abandoned for centuries, what On 28 October
ration, badly damaged during remained was used as a semin­ 1918, Prague’s
the Prussian occupation in ary and later as a military college. Municipal House
1757, was replaced in 1876. It was demolished in the early was the scene of
1900s to be replaced by the the momentous
present cultural centre (1905– proclamation
11) with its exhibition halls of the new
and auditorium, designed by independent state
Antonín Balšánek assisted of Czechoslovakia.
by Osvald Polívka. Decorative detail
The exterior is embellished by Alfons Mucha
with stucco and allegorical
statuary. Above the main
entrance, there is a huge
semicircular mosaic entitled Hollar
Homage to Prague by Karel Hall
Špillar. Inside, topped by an
impressive glass dome, is Foyer
Prague’s principal concert
venue and the core of
the entire building, the

Mayor’s Salon with
paintings by Alfons
Mucha
Entrance hall
Entrance to Art
Nouveau café
The Powder Gate viewed from outside
the Old Town Restaurants

066-067_EW_Prague.indd 66 20/03/17 11:28 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2)
Date 14th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm