Golden Lane or Zlata Lane (Czech name: Zlatá ulička) is an ancient and one of the most famous streets of Prague, which is a symbol of the city.
Golden Lane is located in the historical part of Prague, on the territory of Prague Castle ( Pražský hrad).
This small paved street is characterized by its appearance with small colorful houses that have a fabulous look and are built into the former fortress wall of Prague Castle.
Once in these small houses on the street lived castle Streltsy, and families of gold minters, from whom the street got its name "Jewelry Street" (Zlatnitska / Zlatnicka).
The houses on the street were inhabited from the end of the 16th century until the Second World War. In the house at number 22 in 1916-1917 the writer Franz Kafka stayed, and in the house number 12 writers and poets (Frantisek Halas, Yaroslav Seifert, Vitezslav Nezval, Jiri Marzhanekom) met.
Originally the houses on the street were located on both sides, but in the 19th century the houses on one side of the street were demolished.
Today Zlata Street is one of the attractions of Prague Castle and a popular tourist destination in Prague. The current appearance of the Golden Street dates back to 1955.
Some of the houses along the street are now souvenir shops, there is a bookstore that is associated with the most famous inhabitant of the street - Franz Kafka, as well as a cafe. While in other houses there are expositions with interiors showing the daily life of local residents over the past five centuries. The alchemist's house is located in the Prague Castle Tower, which is accessible from Zlata Street. Also on the street you can visit the museum of medieval arsenal, weapons and objects of torture.
All the rooms in the houses of the Golden Street tell about real people, except for fictional alchemists.
The appearance of the 16th century dwelling is best demonstrated by house No. 13 on Zolotaya Ulochka, which was the Renaissance residence of the castle Sagittarius guarding the gates of Prague Castle. The facade of this house does not face the street at all, but is embedded in the fortress wall and shows the original positions of the houses of the street.
The work of jewelers on the street is evidenced by the situation of house No. 15.
The famous fortune-teller and clairvoyant Matilda Prushova lived in house No. 14. Her clientele was not only local, but also foreign, as evidenced by the correspondence found. Matilda was arrested by the Gestapo during World War II for predicting the fall of the Third Reich and was eventually tortured during interrogations.
Herbalist's house.
The kitchen of a medieval tavern.
The house of a film-loving historian, Citizen Kazda, who hid copies of Czech films from the Nazis in an alley.
The seamstress's house.
The house at number 23 houses a museum exhibition of knight's armor, weapons and instruments of torture.
The defensive corridor leads over the roofs of the houses of Golden Street and is hidden behind stone walls. Today, the empty corridor is hung with knight's armor. The corridor connects the White Tower (the tower in the western part of Golden Street) with the Daliborka Tower (the tower in the eastern part of Golden Street).
Initially defensiveThe White Tower (Bílá věž), since 1586 served as a prison, a torture chamber and a holodomor. In particular, criminals from the aristocratic state served their sentences here, and the alchemist Edward Kelly was also imprisoned. The last prisoner left the White Tower in 1743. Today, visitors can see the alchemist's office in the tower. However, alchemists have never lived in the houses of the Golden Lane.
Guns in the courtyard of the White Tower.
The cylindrical Daliborka Tower (Daliborka věž) of 1496 was also part of the fortifications of Prague Castle and served as a prison, the first prisoner of which was Dalibor from Kozoed, after whom the tower got its name. Another famous prisoner of the tower was the patron of science and art Count Frantisek Antonin Spork, who was imprisoned in the tower prison for fifteen weeks for non-payment of debts and was released from prison thanks to the intervention of Charles VI. Already in 1547 - after the resistance of the estate - the tower was occupied by prisoners of Prague and in the post-Belogorsky period, Daliborka became a heavy prison for the participants of the uprising. In 1781, the Daliborka burned down and during repairs a year later it was reduced by one floor. Today, the tower is open to the public and houses a small exhibition.
The staircase in the house No. 12 on the Golden Lane leads to the terrace in front of the Daliborka Tower.
Practical information
During the day, a visit to the Golden Street is paid. A visit to the street is included in the price of complex tickets for Prague Castle. Tickets also include: visits to the Daliborka Tower, the old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, St. Vitus Cathedral, expositions and other objects in Prague Castle. Tickets are valid for 2 days.
In the evening (in winter after 16:00, and in summer after 17:00), the entrance to the Golden Lane becomes free, but by this time the exhibition houses on the street and most souvenir shops are already closed, but you can walk along the street and visit, also for free, the exposition of knight's armor, weapons and instruments of torture.
The entrance to the territory of the Prague Castle itself is free. Prague Castle is open from 6:00 to 22:00. Learn more about Prague Castle, its objects and museums...
All conditions for visiting the Golden Lane and other objects, expositions and exhibitions of Prague Castle, the place of purchase of tickets and the cost of tickets, we recommend you to check on the official website of Prague Castle: prazsky-hrad-pro-navstevniky.
You can get to Prague Castle by public transport, taxi, car or on foot from the historical center of Prague.
Address of Prague Castle: Hradčany, 119 08 Prague 1, Czech Republic.
Coordinates of Prague Castle: 50°05'26.0"N 14°23'59.0"E (50.090556, 14.399722).
All accommodation facilities in Prague (hotels, apartments, guest houses, etc.), including in the historical center of the city and more remotely from it, can be viewed and booked here
