A picturesque village in the middle of a fancy Baroque city...

The New World is a remarkable place which has until now retained the character of a small village in the middle of a big city. The picturesque houses of this Prague corner spectacularly contrast with the monumentality of the surrounding Baroque palaces and remind one of the modest way of life of ordinary inhabitants of the castle’s foreground. The small quarter was founded in the middle of the 14th century and was incorporated into the Gothic ramparts of Hradčany. In the past, it was twice destroyed by fire (1420 and 1541), so it only acquired its present appearance in the 17th and 18th centuries, as the remarkable Baroque facades of the individual houses show.

Its exotic name and the pretentious names of most of the houses (Golden Acorn, Golden Grape or Golden Pear) are testimony to the character of the whole locality. Just as with the Golden Lane at the Prague Castle, here, the name also contained the word gold to offset the poverty, which in reality was more than prevalent here. Thanks to its picturesque character, the quarter has become a favourite theme for many paintings and also a highly sought-after haven for artists and bohemians. Remnants of this unique artistic world are still visible today. Many of the houses still have studios and galleries, and there are still old-school native settlers who will not let go of the magical charm of the place.

 Where
City Centre | Hradčany

When strolling through the New World, keep your eyes wide open, you may be able to notice some remarkable details. Look out, for example, for the door handle at the house of the Golden Lamb (U Zlatého beránka).

Anaïs, Avantgarde Prague
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