POWDER TOWER

Description

Essentials about the Powder Tower in brief

The Prague Powder Tower (cz. “Prašná brána”) is a 65-meter-high tower on Republic Square. Once built in the 15th century as part of the fortification of the former royal court, it represents a decorative work of late Gothic in Bohemia and served as a historically significant entrance gate to Prague’s old town. Celetná Street begins at the tower and forms the first part of the historic Royal Route from the former Royal Court to Prague Castle. From the viewing platform of the Powder Tower you can enjoy a magnificent view of Prague’s old town.

The history of the Powder Tower

Originally, in the place of the Powder Tower, St. Ambrose’s Gate rose as a part of the town fortification, which was later replaced by Horská Gate. After the fortification of the old town lost its meaning with the construction of the New Town, the gate fell into disrepair, so that it soon got the nickname “ragged gate”. The gate, which stood directly next to the Royal Court, was increasingly perceived as an eyesore, which is why a representative new tower was built from 1475. In 1484, the work was interrupted because King Vladislav II moved his seat of government from the Royal Court to Prague Castle. The construction was finally stopped and only a temporary roof was added.

The tower received the name Powder Tower due to its use as a powder magazine at the end of the 17th century. The tower was severely damaged in 1757 during the Prussian siege in the Seven Years’ War and gradually fell into disrepair. The remains of the ornamentation were removed in 1799.

At the end of the 19th century, the Powder Tower was restored in the neo-Gothic style. The Bohemian architect Josef Mocker took the Old Town Bridge Tower as his model, adding the powder tower’s ornamentation completely freely. The upper gallery, the hipped roof, the net vaults of the passage and most of the architectural decorations, including the sculptures of the Czech kings Ottokar II on the left and Charles IV on the right on the west side and George of Podiebrad and Vladislav II Jagiello on the east side, date only from this period. The Municipal House was attached to the Powder Tower in Art Nouveau style at the beginning of the 20th century in place of the former royal court.

The view from the Powder Tower

At a height of 44 meters, there is a viewing platform in the Powder Tower, which offers a magnificent view of Prague’s old town. To enjoy this view, however, you have to climb a total of 186 quite steep steps. So if you are not good on foot, you should rather refrain from this undertaking.