Prague Guide
Prague
Staroměstská radnice
Opening time: guided tours Mon 11am–5pm, Tues– Sun 9am–6pm
It wasn't until the reign of King John of Luxembourg (1310–46) that Staré Město was allowed to build its own town hall, the Staroměstská radnice. Short of funds, the citizens decided against an entirely new structure, buying a corner house on the square instead and simply adding an extra floor; later on, they added the east wing, with its graceful Gothic oriel and obligatory wedge-tower. Gradually, over the centuries, the neighbouring merchants' houses to the west were incorporated into the building, so that now it stretches all the way across to the richly sgraffitoed Dům U minuty, which juts out into the square.
On May 8, 1945, on the final day of the Prague Uprising, the Nazis still held on to Staroměstské náměstí, and in a last desperate act set fire to the town hall – one of the few buildings to be irrevocably damaged in the old town in World War II. The tower was rebuilt immediately, but only a crumbling fragment remains of the neo-Gothic east wing, which once stretched almost as far as the church of sv Mikuláš. Set into the paving nearby, 27 white crosses commemorate the Protestant leaders who were condemned to death on the orders of the Emperor Ferdinand II, following the Battle of Bílá hora. They were publicly executed in the square on June 21, 1621: 24 enjoyed the nobleman's privilege and had their heads lopped off; the three remaining commoners were hung, drawn and quartered.
Today, the town hall's most popular feature is its orloj or Astronomical clock – on the hour (daily 8am–8pm), a crowd of tourists gathers in front of the tower to watch a mechanical dumbshow by the clock's assorted figures. The apostles shuffle past the top two windows, bowing to the audience, while perched on pinnacles below are the four threats to the city as perceived by the medieval mind: Death carrying his hourglass and tolling his bell, the Jew with his moneybags (since 1945 minus his stereotypical beard), Vanity admiring his reflection, and a turbaned Turk shaking his head. Beneath the moving figures, four characters representing Philosophy, Religion, Astronomy and History stand motionless throughout the performance. Finally, a cockerel pops out and flaps its wings to signal that the show's over; the clock then chimes the hour.
The powder-pink facade on the south side of the town hall now forms the entrance to the whole complex. The town hall is a popular place to get married, but casual visitors can also join a guided tour to see the inside. Despite being steeped in history, there's not much of interest here, apart from a few decorated ceilings, a couple of Renaissance portals, the atmospheric Romano-Gothic cellars, and a Gothic chapel, designed by Peter Parler. Visitors also get to see the clock's apostles close up – and if you're there just before the clock strikes the hour, you can watch them going out on parade; the figures all had to be re-carved by a local puppeteer after the war. Temporary art exhibitions are held on the ground floor (50Kč); you can climb the tower (60Kč) for a panoramic sweep across Prague's spires; and on the fourth floor, there's a vast model of contemporary Prague (free).