Page:Guide to the Bohemian section and to the Kingdom of Bohemia - 1906.djvu/28

22 event the centre of public life in Prague, the scene of all grand and sad events bearing not only upon the history of the city but upon that of the whole kingdom, in no less a measure than the royal castle itself, because the Hall of the Old town took part in evererything that concerned the entire nation, especially since the castle had ceased to be the residence of the Bohemian kings.

The Hall in its oldest part close to the tower was founded in 1338 when a house that had originally belonged to Welflin od Kamene, was enlarged by adding the tower, in which a beautiful chapel (consacrated later in 1381) was formed and a splendid gothic projecting window added, ornamented with various coats-of arms and beautiful sculptures. The Hall contains also two ancient session-rooms with rich gothic ceilings which were added in the king Wladislaus’ prosperous times when also a fine gothic porch was built and the tower further adorned by the far-famed Prague Horologium. Other additions, also in the gothic style, date only from the last century, but it must be admitted that they suit the ancient character of the Old town Square. The northern side of it is partly taken up by the monastery of St. Paul’s friars, later on used as a minting house, the only ancient edifice left in this region of the square, while all the other interesting houses fell victims to the assanation of the city.

The eastern side is better preserved in its ancient appearance. Here the attention is attracted by the palace of the counts Kinský, a fine work of the Prague architects Kilian Dienzenhoffer and A. Luragho, the latter of which designed the façade foof [sic] this remarkable building from the middle of the XVIIIth. century, showing already decided rococo details. A great contrast to this palace is the adjoining simple, but by its original Gothic gables all the more picturesque house of the former Týn-school from the XVth. century (at present the house of the parish offices of the city).

A very interesting prospect of attractive old burgher houses is seen from the porch of the Town-hall at the southwestern side of the square. Here, quite hidden by the arcades of the houses, is the entrance into the ancient