Hello Prague: The Gothic Powder Tower
One of the truly interesting and dramatic aspects of Prague is the prevalence of Gothic architecture, which dates back to the 1400’s! One such example of Gothic architecture is the The Powder Tower or Powder Gate (Czech: Prašná brána), which is one of the original city gates, separating the Old Town from the New Town. I happen to love architecture in general, so visiting a city like Prague that is filled with historic architecture is truly exciting. The Powder Tower isn’t something that you have to make a special trip to see, as it is very close to the Old Town Square, and likely on the way to somewhere else!
The Powder Tower is one of the original 13 city gates in Old Town, Prague, and construction began in 1475. The tower was intended to be an attractive entrance into the city, not a defensive tower. The foundation stone was placed by Vladislav II, and the city council gave Vladislav II the tower as a coronation gift. The design of the tower was inspired by the work of Peter Parler on the Charles Bridge, and therefore it looks quite similar to the Bridge Tower. The gate was used to store gunpowder in the 17th century, hence the name Powder Tower or Powder Gate.
Today the Powder Tower is open to visitors and one can climb the tower to view the amazing view from the top. This is something I will try to do next time, and if you are short of time, I’d recommend going to the city hall tower, just a few blocks away, where you can see a much more expansive view. Okay, lets take a look at the Powder Tower as seen from the City Hall Tower!
Such an interesting contrast, to see the Gothic Poweder Tower rising above a neighborhood of mostly Romanesque buildings constructed around 1800-1900 or so!
Such heavy presence, which is the gothic style.
The Powder Tower is actually connected to the Municipal House with a covered walkway.
Municipal House is a civic building that houses Smetana Hall, a celebrated concert venue. It is located on Náměstí Republiky square next to the Powder Gate in the center of the city. I loved this modern sculpture which appears to have been temporary, or part of a sculpture show around town, as I have not been able to find any information about it.
Okay, that is it for a little intro to the Powder Tower, if you are ever on your way somewhere and could do a stopover in Prague, DO IT. If you live in Israel, trips are so very inexpensive and the city is beyond amazing, I can’t wait to share it with the rest of my family, and even go myself sometime with a friend, as I didn’t even scratch the surface of all the things one can see!
