🏛️ Attraction · monument
The Powder Tower
The late Gothic gate at the edge of the Old Town, and the starting point of the Royal Route to Prague Castle.
The foundation stone was laid in 1475, when the tower was meant as a showpiece gate next to the royal residence that stood where the Municipal House is today. When the kings moved back to the Castle, work stalled and the tower was left unfinished for centuries. Its name comes from the seventeenth century, when it was used to store gunpowder.
Its present appearance — the steep roof and rich sculptural decoration — is largely the work of the architect Josef Mocker, who restored it in the neo-Gothic style in the late nineteenth century. Through its arch ran the coronation processions of Bohemian kings, which followed Celetná street to Old Town Square, crossed Charles Bridge and climbed to Prague Castle.
A viewing gallery inside the tower looks down Celetná street and over the roofs of the Old Town. It stands directly beside the Art Nouveau Municipal House, so the two are best seen together, and it is a natural place to begin a walk along the Royal Route.
Where to stay nearby
Live prices and availability on a map centred on this exact spot — hotels, apartments and hostels, so you can judge the walk from here rather than guess from an address.
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Frequently asked
What are the opening hours at The Powder Tower?
The hours published on Google are: Monday: 09:00–20:30; Tuesday: 09:00–20:30; Wednesday: 09:00–20:30; Thursday: 09:00–20:30; Friday: 09:00–20:30; Saturday: 09:00–20:30; Sunday: 09:00–20:30. Check the venue's own site before a special trip — holiday and seasonal hours often differ.
Where is The Powder Tower?
The address is Nám. Republiky 5, 110 00 Praha 1-Staré Město, in Old Town (District Praha 1).
Is The Powder Tower worth visiting?
It holds 4.6 out of 5 from 49,390 Google reviews — a strong score for a attraction in Prague. Treat the rating as a starting point, not a verdict, and read a few recent reviews too.
