In my previous post I wrote about Jindřišská which is only a few minutes walk from my apartment, but a monument I had never properly visited until relatively recently. The Powder Tower, (Prašná brána) is even closer, and despite having walked around it and under it countless times, I had never been inside this landmark either until a few weeks ago.
The tower is located at the intersection of Celetna and Na příkopě (which literally translates to 'in the ditch', and refers to an old moat long since filled in) and just a few steps away from Náměstí Republiky metro station.
Also known as the Powder Gate, this is one of thirteen original city gates in Prague’s Old Town and this one separates the Old and New Towns. Construction began in 1475. It was inspired by the design of the towers on the Charles Bridge and was intended as a decorative tower rather than as a defensive one, and replaced the old and dilapidated Horská tower and was part of the old King’s Court which was located where the Municipal House now stands. As such it became the passing point through which coronation processions used to pass on the way to the St Vitus Cathedral. In 1485, Prague Castle became the royal residence and the next royal procession through the tower did not take place until 1836. In fact, the Powder Tower remained unfinished until 1592.
The building was used to store gunpowder in the 17th century, hence the name Powder Tower. Today’s appearance dates back to the years 1875 - 1886 when the Powder Gate Tower was restored and completed in a pseudo-Gothic style by the architect Josef Mocker.
The Powder Tower is 65 m high with an observation gallery at 44 metres above ground level. Inside, the spiral staircase is made of 186 stone steps.
Perhaps waiting until the middle of winter to go up the tower was not one of my brightest ideas! Three days after Christmas, it was cold, grey and quite windy, but my fiancée had come over to join me for Christmas. It was only the second time I had seen her in two years because of Covid restrictions and we were determined to make the most of the time and do as many new things as possible.
Having climbed up most of the towers in the city, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Cold, clammy, stone-clad walls and an element of dizziness from climbing steep spiral staircases with the ever-present threat of someone coming down the other way! For that reason, we went in the first hour of the tower being open (which also meant a discount on the ticket prices) - and it wasn't too busy, although there was a group of people who seemed more interested in screaming down their phones than being aware of their surroundings!
The views from the gallery were amazing despite the conditions. My real problem was that given the cold and having to wear a mask (which was trying very hard to fly away) I was really struggling to keep my glasses from steaming up. As a result, I couldn't use my DSLR camera and had to rely on my iPhone for my photos.
To be honest, I was quite happy to get back in from the gallery, back down the draughty stairwell and back onto terra firma! And by then it was beer o'clock!
