The Powder tower of Prague !!

Posted in Europe, France

Let me update with newer text and same older pictures on one of my visits to Prague, Czech Republic. Many many years ago as a young boy came to Prague then part of Czechoslovakia for a two days student fair. Many many years later came back on a business trip but saw the part of Prague visitors do not go in the outer limits of the city. Finally, came back several times and was able to visit the more visible tourist attraction areas of central Prague or Praha 1. One of the building that kept a lasting memory on me was the Powder Tower located on the edge of Old Town. A covered bridge connects the tower to the adjoining Municipal House. I like to bring back those memories again with my take on the Powder tower of Prague !! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

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The Powder Tower is one of the most famous buildings in the city of Prague. It is the boundary between the old city and the new city. From the 11C, one of the thirteen gates of the medieval fortifications of the Old City stood at this location. In 1445, the municipal magistrate decided to offer a new tower to King Vladislav II Jagiellon, who laid the first stone that same year. Construction stopped after eight years when riots drove the king out of the capital. Its rich carved decoration was to add to the prestige of the adjacent Royal Palace which was on the site of the current Municipal House.  The tower took its current name in the 17C when it became a powder depot. Severely damaged during the Prussian occupation of 1757, it was almost entirely rebuilt in 1878-1886 in a neo-Gothic style. In the 1990s the Powder Tower, like many other historical buildings in Prague, was beautifully renovated. The tower is adorned with reliefs of arms and several statues embellish the east and west facades.

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 Originally, one of the eleven doors of the fortification of the old town, the Saint-Ambroise gate, was in its place. The tower, called Nová originally, was founded almost nine meters below the current land level and was 42 meters high. However, the construction remained unfinished, because after the move of King Vladislas IV at the Prague castle in 1483, the old town has disinterested in its completion. It found use from the middle of the 18C by serving as a warehouse of cannon powder, which gave it its name thereafter. It only acquired its current appearance after a neo -Gothic purist modification between 1878 and 1886

The City of Prague tourist office on the Powder tower : https://www.prague.eu/en/object/places/102/powder-tower-prasna-brana

A good private webpage Praguego on the Powder tower : https://www.praguego.com/attractions/powder-tower-gate/

The Czechia tourist office on Prague : https://www.visitczechia.com/en-us/destinations/prague

There you go folks, another nice monument in Prague. You do well to visit the city and see its marvels, I am glad I did 5 times ! Always looking forward to be back, eventually, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Powder tower of Prague as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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