The Powder Tower (or Powder Gate) in Prague is an ancient building in the city center. When it was laid, it was supposed to have a practical purpose, but now it is just an architectural monument. It was built on the site of one of the thirteen towers, from where the procession for the coronation of kings began.
Precursor tower
In place of the City Tower, which stood a little to the west, the Powder Tower later appeared. Prague at that time was much smaller, and just at the City Tower the city limits ended.
The gate tower was connected by a gallery to the royal court. Previously, the palace was located on the site where the Municipal House is now located. They decided to replace it after it fell into disrepair. The people called her that - "ragged".
A logical question arises: why did they allow their fortress gates and towers to decay?
The fact is that the palace and towers were located in the Old Place, and in 1348 a New Place arose, behind which a new defensive fortification was built.
Powder tower in modern Prague
Now the tower is exclusively an object of culture and does not carry any practical functions. When shewas under construction - it was the border of the city, but today the Powder Tower is in the center.
Prague and its surroundings open from the observation deck on the tower. In order to get on it, you need to overcome 163 steps.
The height of the tower itself is 65 meters, the platform is located a little lower - at a distance of 40 meters.
There is a photo exhibition, an exhibition of armor and weapons inside. Many excursions depart from the Powder Tower, this is a very convenient landmark. It also has a small souvenir shop where you can buy a coin with the image of the Powder Gate.
At the entrance to the Powder Tower stands a man in a red robe with fake weapons and invites everyone to come up. Under the very roof you can read all the information about the sights. By the way, there are lyrics in Russian as well.
On the very roof of the Powder Tower you can see not only a beautiful panorama, but also inscriptions made by tourists from all over the world. The oldest one was left in 1821.
Building the Powder Tower
In those days, the Gothic style was very popular, it is not surprising that the Powder Tower was built in this style. Prague of those times, and not only it, had many Gothic buildings.
The tower was designed by city architect Matej Reisek, and master Vaclav managed the construction. During the first year of work, he managed to build the first floor.
Further work was more difficult, because in addition to the rough masonry, it was necessary to make an artistic outer shell. And I didn't manage itwould be an ordinary bricklayer. Therefore, Martin Reisek, who was a self-taught amateur, began to help master Vaclav.
When he outgrew Wenceslas in his craft, he was entrusted with completing the building. But he was never able to do this, because the royal court returned to Prague Castle - the king began to worry about his safety after religious unrest in the country. In addition, there were problems with funding. A temporary roof was placed on the unfinished tower and it began to be used as a storehouse for gunpowder. Hence the name.
The Powder Tower stood unfinished for a long time. Prague managed to change more than one king, but construction continued only in the 80s of the 19th century.
Tower decorations
Decorative elements that were made by Martin Reisek are almost gone. Only small sculptures. No one particularly followed the safety of the historical monument, so many elements were removed so that they did not threaten the lives of passers-by. The magistrate even discussed the idea of demolishing the Powder Tower altogether. In addition, the Powder Gate suffered greatly in the Seven Years' War.
Josef Moker was invited for restoration. He called in a few more sculptors.
The tower was decorated with sculptures of kings and church scenes. Images of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the apostles, Adam and Eve appeared on the third floor of the tower.
The symbols of the virtue of kings were placed in the corners, and the coats of arms of the lands and angels appeared on the second floor. A bust of Reisek and a figure of a knight were placed on the ground floor.
Masterswe tried to do everything in the style of the time when the tower was just being built, but some changes did take place.
Interior decoration
The interior of the tower is made in a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles. On the ground floor, Gothic vaults are adjacent to consoles, which are decorated with figures typical of the Romanesque style.
On the second floor, the vaults are slightly different, but they are also decorated in the Gothic style. The ceilings are decorated with coats of arms.
Stained-glass windows depict symbolic scenes: a monk with a book, a woman with a sheep, an angel with a book, and others.
How to get there
The Powder Tower in Prague is located on Republic Square, you can get to it by metro, next to the station of the same name. Or you can take trams 8, 91, 14, 26.
If you are afraid of getting lost and not finding the Powder Gate, the Prague guide contains comprehensive information on how to get there.
