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You’ve heard of Prague’s Jewish Quarter, and you’ve probably heard of the Lesser Quarter or the Little Quarter (Mala Strana), but I’ll bet you didn’t know that Prague also has an Italian Quarter. While not an official “town” like the others…
...the Italian Quarter is nontheless a distinct place that has been in existence since the 16th century. Nestled on the hill between the Mala Strana and Prague Castle, the Italian Quarter has now blended in to a large extent with its surrounding town. But it still retains some of its uniqueness, thanks to its architecture and streets.
My Lesser Quarter walk will guide you through the district neighboring the Italian Quarter.
Mix and match colors
One thing that's unique to the Italian Quarter is the use of brighter colors than those found in other parts of Prague. The colors are more varied, as well, as shown below.
Catholic religious symbols also abound in the quarter in a greater concentration than elsewhere, as can be seen in the next photo gallery.
How Did the Italian Quarter Come Into Being?
In the 16th century, the Renaissance was just reaching Central Europe and the Czech lands (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), and Emperor Rudolf, Hapsburg King, had also come to Prague. His Austrian predecessors had maintained their principal residence in Vienna, but Rudolf, who was unique in many ways, decided he wanted to live in Prague. So he moved himself and the seat of Austrian power into Prague Castle for the duration of his reign.
Holy Roman Emperor
In addition to being the Austrian King, Rudolf was elected Holy Roman Emperor, as well. So, for the second time in its history, Prague was not only the capital of Bohemia (the traditional Czech lands and now a region of the Czech Republic), but it was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The first time was in the 14th century under King Charles IV, the Czech King who was also elected Holy Roman Emperor.
An Art Lover
Rudolf was known as a purveyor of many things, including art, music, astronomy and even alchemy. There's even an Alchymist Hotel (pictured below) in the Italian Quarter - a nod to Rudolf no doubt - as well as an alchemist museum. As King and Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf was, naturally, very wealthy, and he spent generously on his pet projects. When word of Rudolf's patronage got around Europe, lots of interesting and talented people flocked to Prague, among them Tycho Brahe and his apprentice, Johannes Kepler. But I digress….
My book of Prague Walks will guide you through many of Prague's other neighborhoods, and it will also divulge the location of Tycho Brahe's tomb.
Like most kings, Rudolf wanted to put his stamp on Prague Castle, and he did this with many new structures and additions to old ones. But he also put his mark on the greater city of Prague. More than just a desire, though, this was also somewhat of a necessity: much of the Mala Strana and some of Prague Castle had been destroyed in a great fire in 1541.
The Renaissance Comes to Prague (Finally)
So Rudolf set about creating new structures in the new style in the Czech lands: Renaissance. The Renaissance style had already been used in Italy in the previous century, but Central Europe held on to the Gothic style longer than Southern Europe did. So Renaissance was the style of choice when Rudolf began his Prague redo. The house in the picture below is covered in sgraffito, a Renaissance-era style. However, the decoration on this particular house is not original and might be just a nod to the Italian Quarter's beginnings. In any case, it's beautiful.
As the 16th century turned into the 17th, the style in Prague changed, too - into the Baroque, especially after the Thirty Years’ War. And the Italian Quarter is no exception. Much of what you will find there now is in the Baroque style.
As the 16th century turned into the 17th, the style in Prague changed, too - into the Baroque, especially after the Thirty Years’ War. And the Italian Quarter is no exception. Much of what you will find there now is in the Baroque style.
Sgraffito-covered house in Prague's Italian Quarter.
And because Italy had lots of experience with the Renaissance style whereas the Czechs and Germans didn’t, Rudolf brought in Italian architects, builders and artisans (mostly bricklayers, stone cutters and stucco artists) to do the work. They settled in the part of Prague that is now known as the Italian Quarter and which is the subject of this post.
The location they chose might have had to do with its proximity to Rudolf (up at the Castle above it) and to the Mala Strana which needed lots of reconstruction and rebuilding after the fire. In any case, apparently Italian surnames could be found on doorbells here until the time of the Velvet Revolution. And below you'll see the name "Santini," a master architect who was born in the quarter, the son of an Italian builder. The plaque notes where Jan Santini was buried - near the former church of St. John the Baptist, the footprint of which, in a typical Santini star pattern, is marked in the cobblestones of the sidewalk.
The location they chose might have had to do with its proximity to Rudolf (up at the Castle above it) and to the Mala Strana which needed lots of reconstruction and rebuilding after the fire. In any case, apparently Italian surnames could be found on doorbells here until the time of the Velvet Revolution. And below you'll see the name "Santini," a master architect who was born in the quarter, the son of an Italian builder. The plaque notes where Jan Santini was buried - near the former church of St. John the Baptist, the footprint of which, in a typical Santini star pattern, is marked in the cobblestones of the sidewalk.
In settling in this quarter, the Italians set about making it their home. As a result, the architecture in the Italian Quarter has a distinctly, if only slightly, Italian feel. It's architecture is definitely different from that in any of Prague's other areas. Probably owing to its being just a “settlement” initially, and on a rather steep hill, the streets are very narrow and jammed together. It’s hard to imagine even a horse an carriage getting through some of them, let alone today’s cars. Pictured below are a few examples.
Something a Little Different
Walking through these streets and looking at the many small houses, you can get the feel of being on a side street in Rome or some other Italian city. You can definitely get the feeling that you are not in Prague, even if you can’t quite imagine where you are. You can even find grape vines here! And it's fitting that the Italian Cultural Institute is located here, as well, as you can see in the gallery below.
Get Off the Beaten Path
This quarter is unique, too, in that many of its streets are still marked in both German and Czech. Below are a couple of examples.
Today's Italian Quarter also has some uniquely quirky and charming shops and boutique hotels. And it's definitely one of the most romantic parts of Prague.
If time allows it on your visit, I encourage you to take a stroll through this unique - and not so well known - part of Prague. It’s not only charming, but the tourists haven’t discovered it either (yet!). It will get you off the beaten path - and it’s very romantic, too!
Want more info on the Italian Quarter? Contact me!
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Happy travels! |
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