Old Town Hall with chimes in Prague – photo, history, description, ticket prices 2021, map
The Old Town Hall in Prague is not a separate building, but a whole architectural complex of buildings located on the Old Town Square. Every hour, crowds of tourists gather under the tower with the famous astronomical clock to watch the show.
History of the Old Town Hall
In 1232, Stare Mesto received the status of a city. And every medieval city was supposed to have its own Town Hall, which housed the city administration, office, court and other important services for city self-government. However, residents received permission to build the building from King John of Luxembourg only in 1338 – more than 100 years later. Then they decided not to erect a new building, but placed the Town Hall in the house of the merchant Wolf Kameni. A century later, a tower was added to his house, on which the famous chimes, the eagle, were later placed. The clock shows simultaneously the phases of the moon, the main Christian holidays, the equinox, And every hour a performance is played here with the participation of the apostles and a rooster.
In the 15th century, the facade of the Town Hall was decorated with a luxurious Gothic portal with the coats of arms of Bohemia and the Old Town. Then the rest of the buildings were added, including the wedding hall, which has been operating since 1871 and in our time. In 1945, during the liberation of the city, one wing of the building was badly damaged and it was not possible to restore it. The Town Hall has witnessed many events in the history of the city and the country. Here, in 1458, the people elected Jiri of Poděbrady as king, a supporter of Jan Hus. And in 1627, 27 representatives of the Czech nobility were executed – participants in the Uprising of the Estates.
Interior of the Town Hall
The interior of the Town Hall is no less picturesque than its facade. The city council chamber, where the most important decisions were made for almost 700 years, has preserved a lot of works of art from the Gothic period. The ceiling in the hall is decorated with rich paintings, and the walls are decorated with coats of arms of craft workshops and some noble urban families. Court sessions were held in the hall, so there is an image of the goddess of justice Themis. There is also a sculpture of Christ with the inscription above it “The human race, let your judgment be fair.”
The main hall is decorated with works by Vaclav Brozik, the theme of which was the main events in the history of the Czech people: the election of King Jiří from Padebrady and the trial of Jan Hus. The cellars of all the buildings of the Town Hall are connected by a Romanesque dungeon. There used to be market warehouses here, and then casemates for prisoners sentenced to death. Now here you can see sculptural portraits of the patron saints of the Czech Republic. At the beginning of the 19th century, an observation deck was organized on top of the Town Hall. It offers an unforgettable view of the rooftops of the Old Town.
Opening hours and ticket prices
The town hall is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, except Mondays. To view the Town Hall you need to purchase tickets. The ticket price for all visitors is 100 kroons. A single ticket to the Town Hall, to the observation deck and to the Tower with the Apostles – 180 kroons. A family ticket will cost 210 kroons.
How to get there
You can get to the Town Hall by metro on the green line to the Staromestska station. By tram (17, 18, 53, 194) you will need to get to the Staromestska stop. And then walk about 300 m along Kaprova street.