The Old Town Hall in Prague, founded in 1338, was the first building of its kind in Bohemia. It was built on the basis of a privilege granted to the Old Town burghers by King John of Luxembourg. The Town Hall is located on the Old Town Square and consists of several interconnected buildings that were gradually integrated into a single complex serving the municipal administration. The Town Hall has been protected as a cultural monument since 1958 and as a national cultural monument since 1992.
The main part of the town hall, the Wolflin Tower House, is an early Gothic building, built on Romanesque foundations from the 13th century. The tower, the dominant feature of the town hall, was completed in 1364. The Gothic chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the four Czech patron saints also dates from the same period. It was consecrated twice and is decorated with numerous coats of arms and statues. In the following centuries, the Town Hall was gradually extended with new houses, such as the Kříž Shopkeeper’s House and the Mikš House, which allowed for more administrative and ceremonial space.
The Town Hall before the construction of the neo-Gothic wing, early 19th century. Photo: Prague City Archives
One of the most striking features of the Town Hall is the astronomical clock, which was built in 1410. Housed in a late Gothic frame, this clock has been improved several times and is an important symbol of the city. During the Hussite Wars, the bell was destroyed and later replaced by a new one from the Břevnovský Monastery Church. The neo-Gothic wing of the town hall on the north-east side was created as a result of the demolition in 1838-1848 of two 14th century houses designed by Viennese architects Pietro Nobile and Pavel Sprenger.
During the Prague uprising at the end of World War II in May 1945, the Old Town Hall was one of the headquarters of the anti-Hitler resistance movement. In its immediate vicinity, there was fighting between the insurgents and the Nazis, which caused extensive damage. A fire broke out on 8 May during the shelling of the town hall by German troops, just hours before they signed the surrender. It destroyed the neo-Gothic wing of the town hall to such an extent that only the perimeter walls remained. The tower, the Gothic bay window and the Old Town Astronomical Clock were also severely damaged by fire. The bell fell, broke and partially melted. The fire also burnt down part of the city archive with valuable sources on the history of Prague.
In 1947, an architectural competition was announced to decide what to do with the burnt-out perimeter walls of the neo-Gothic wing. In the end, it was decided to demolish the walls, leaving this part of the Prague square empty. Only one outer field survived, which was necessary for the static protection of the Town Hall tower. Between 2017 and 2018, a major renovation of the Town Hall was carried out to restore it to a more authentic appearance. This included repairs to the tower, the chapel and the astronomical clock. The cost of the renovation amounted to 48 million crowns.
The Old Town Hall is not only an important historical monument, but also a popular tourist destination. It houses a wedding hall and numerous exhibition halls. From 1958 until 2020, the Town Hall was managed by the Prague Information Service and is now the responsibility of the Prague City Tourism as. The high historical and cultural value of the Town Hall, combined with its unique architecture, makes it one of Prague’s most important monuments.
Source: visitczechia.com, prague.eu
Read also: Architecture | Monument | History | Prague | Czech Republic
