Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
The Golden Key
Right
The Red Lamb
House Signs
The White Swan
Prague houses weren't given
identifying numbers until 1770.
Empress Maria Theresa was a
great one for bringing the famed
Habsburg trait of orderliness
from Vienna to the banks of
the Vltava. Before that, homes
were known and located by a
charming but confusing system
of allegorical symbols. Although
you can still find such emble-
matic addresses throughout the
older parts of the city, Nerudova
street in Malá Strana
(see p81)
has the highest concentration of
house signs in the city. Originally
many of them had alchemical
significance, although today
much of their meaning has been
lost. The White Swan is one of
these, and probably originated as
a golden goose (not to be
confused with the downtown
department store of the same
name, Bílá Labut').
d
Nerudova 49
The Two Suns
This house was the
birthplace of the much-loved
Czech poet and author Jan
Neruda (1834-91), after whom
the street is named. Traditionally
this was the writers' and artists'
area of Prague, and Neruda
conveyed the Bohemian
atmosphere of Malá Strana in his
work. The connection continues
today with the quarter's many
small art galleries and craft
shops.
d
Nerudova 47
The Golden Key
Castle goldsmiths, such as
the ones who worked at this
house in the 17th century, paid
fees to the city, unlike their
colleagues who lived in the
castle's Golden Lane
(see p9)
.
As such, they were entitled to
advertise their wares, as
preserved today in this building's
façade.
d
Nerudova 27
The Red Lamb
One of the
street's more unlikely
symbols, the scarlet
sheep adorning this
façade has an
alchemical signifi-
cance so arcane, not
even the current
house owner can
explain it. Not that it
matters - it remains
in place as one of the
city's many charming
idiosyncrasies.
d
Nerudova 11
The Two Suns
Apart from studying its beautiful house signs, Nerudova is a
convenient route from the Old Town to Prague Castle.
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