Powder Tower

The Powder Tower (Prašná brána) is a 65-metre Late Gothic city gate built from 1475 on the site of one of the original 13 medieval entrances to Prague's Old Town. Construction stalled in 1488 when the royal court moved to Prague Castle, leaving the tower unfinished for nearly four centuries; its current ornate Neo-Gothic appearance dates from a restoration by architect Josef Mocker between 1875 and 1886. The tower marks the eastern start of the Royal Route — the ceremonial coronation path taken by Bohemian kings through Old Town to Prague Castle — and its facade is decorated with carved statues of rulers and the coats of arms of the lands they governed. Climbing 186 steps reaches a viewing gallery at 44 metres with a direct view down Celetná Street into the heart of the Old Town. The tower stands directly beside the Municipal House, one of Prague's finest Art Nouveau buildings, creating one of the most dramatic architectural contrasts in the city.