New world. The most beautiful part of Prague, where the poor lived on hunger
“For example, the Danish star carrier Tycho Brahe lived in the New World, but many artists, directors, writers and bohemians also lived here. The district therefore represents such a Prague Montmartre, even more picturesque than the original Paris, “writes Petr Ryska on the portal Prague Unknownwhich offers an atypical view of individual Prague districts.
The small quarter of Nový Svět includes the alley of the same name, then the Černín Alley enclosed by the high walls of the gardens of the Černín Palace and the strictly closed mysterious Capuchin Monastery. To the left of Černí, the short mini-river Na Náspu turns towards the former walls.
This includes the winding Capuchin Alley, which enters the New World, forked at two ends. Nový Svět ends at Kanovnická, where there used to be a gate separating this district from the rest of Hradčany. Unfortunately, it was demolished around 1890.
Nový Svět got its name because it stood outside Hradčany, which had been a town since 1320. The so-called forecourt of Prague Castle was founded by the highest burgrave of Prague, Hynek Berka of Dubá. Nový Svět Alley copies the original path of the Brusnice stream, which led along the line to the settlement of Střešovice.
The local buildings were almost destroyed by fire during the Hussite wars in 1420, and after the restoration, Nový Svět burned down again during the most terrifying fire in Malá Strana and Hradčany in 1541. the restored houses spread the fires to its upper part, which was secured by building rubble.
“During the First Republic, the houses were mostly inhabited by the poor and people who were tied to the Castle on business. Distress, unemployment and hunger were ubiquitous guests in these places. Numerous poor families crowded the tiny rooms. The parents slept in bed and, for example, between eight and ten children in rags on the ground between a cloud of cockroaches, ”explains Petr Ryska.
“Because there was no movement in the tight rooms, all the local life was transferred to the streets and adjoining courtyards in fine weather. In addition, clothesline hung between the houses, so that the local color strongly resembled the Italian streets. This place was often sought after by filmmakers during the First Republic, and it is no different for its picturesqueness today. “
House U Raka. Timbered cottage number 10 with a shingle roof was owned by Arnošt Lustig and Ota Pavel.
At the head of the square is a small house number 6, which has only one window, but no doors, only the indicated frame in the plaster.
Golden New World
Between the high walls of Černínská Street in the direction from Loretánské náměstí is the area of the Capuchin monastery, which was founded here in 1600, when the Capuchins came here at the invitation of Rudolf II. Because Prague was the imperial capital at the time, the Capuchins settled here even before Vienna.
On the left side it borders the beautiful baroque garden of the Černín Palace, inaccessible to the public. After a while, a short alley Na Náspu appears on the left side, leading directly to the former baroque walls in Keplerova Street.
There is actually only one house in the whole alley, number 2, where the famous Karel Kachyňa, the director of the films King of Šumava, Love Between Raindrops, Sisters, Death of Beautiful Roe Deer and many others, lived.
There is a statue of St. John of Nepomuk in Černínská Street. It belongs to house number 5, where there is a gallery and a small balcony on the floor with a wooden railing with a statue. This house is the studio and home of filmmaker and artist Jan Švankmajer, who met here with actor Jan Tříska in the 1970s.
The neighboring ground floor house with small picturesque dormers does not even have its own number and is probably just an offshoot of the next classicist house number 7 U Zlatého bažanta with a beautiful house sign.
On the opposite side of the street, the painter Jan Zrzavý lived in house number 6 and had his first studio in Prague. Its last owner was film director Ivo Novák, who became famous for his films Summer with a Cowboy and Handsome Hubert.
“House number 10 stands on a small square at the intersection of Černínská and Nový Svět streets. It is a timbered cottage with a shingle roof. It is unbelievable that a few steps from Prague Castle you can find a country house. It is the only preserved timbered house in the historical center of Prague. It is called U Raka after the Brusnice stream, where there were a lot of crayfish and which is now kept underground in these places, “says Petr Ryska.
On the right is the house U Zlaté hvězd (with a porch), which has a small café on the ground floor.
The creator of Mr. Tau, Jindřich Polák, lived in house number 13 U Zlatého stromu.
In the second half of the last century, Dům U Raka was bought by two inseparable friends, the writers Arnošt Lustig and Ota Pavel. However, the timbered cottage did not give much joy to either of them. Arnošt Lustig chooses to emigrate in 1968. Ota Pavel suffers from a mental illness and died of a heart attack in 1973.
In 1987, the house was bought by the artist and photographer Alexandr Paul, who fundamentally rebuilt it. In the 1990s, however, the building was attacked by a lumberjack. In cooperation with conservationists, a completely new replica of the original log cabin was built. Today, the U Raka house offers romantic accommodation. It includes three small stone fountains by medalist André Vich. One stands in front of the house and two in the yard.
At the head of the square, everyone is attracted by the stuck mini house number 6 with one window. It has no door, only a marked frame in the plaster. It is entered from the adjacent house number 27.
House number 27 U Zlatého slunce is in the street Nový Svět. The painter and graphic artist Jiří Anderle lived in it. The two neighboring houses U Zlatého pluhu number 25 and 23 were originally connected. The violinist Jan Ondříček and his little son František lived in the house.
On the opposite northern side is the most interesting house in the New World at the Golden Star with a beautiful house sign. The house has stairs to a small porch and looks like a fairy tale. It mixes Baroque and Classicism. The one-story port was built on the right by the ruler Charles Thierry de Rembau. On the ground floor of Zlatá Hvězda there is a cute and cozy café with a French window, from which you can see into the upper Jelení ditch with the Brusnice stream.
The adjoining house number 19 U Zlatého beránka is connected with Milan Knížák. He had a studio here in the 1960s. The painter Miloš Kurovský moved here in the 1970s.
The film screenwriter, director and creator of the well-known Mr. Tau Jindřich Polák lived in house number 13 U Zlatého stromu and in the next issue 11.
Walk to the New WorldGuided walk around the New World in Prague. Thursday 9.6. from 17:30 Saturday 13.6. from 14:00 Meeting at the Pohořelec tram stop, connection number 22 in the direction from the center of Prague (in front of the monument to Tych Brah and Jan Kepler). Thanks to the high capacity, register by e-mail: [email protected]. |
The Baroque villa number 7 U Zlatého žaludu in Kapucínská Street is a monumental scale in the surrounding buildings. On the basis of an older house, it was built in 1707 by the famous architect Jan Blažej Santini for the family of his plasterer František Santini.
The dominant feature of the entire Nový Svět alley is the two-storey early Baroque house U Zlatého hroznu number 5 with a corner bay window. It was built in 1694 by Abraham Unkoffer and had the house decorated with frescoes, painted ceilings and Venetian mirrors. Pianist and composer Rudolf Friml lived here.
The current form of the house U Zlaté hrušky (or also U Abraháma) number 3 and creative “baroque” adaptations from the 19th century. During the First Republic it was a spell of dubious reputation, today there is a restaurant.
Historically, the most famous house in the New World is U Zlatého noha No. 1. In 1600 he came to Prague at the invitation of Emperor Rudolf II. Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. At the time, it was an inn and a renowned astronomer, astrologer and alchemist, where he stayed for some time before moving to the Pohorelec house.