The Powder Gate Tower is a national cultural monument and one of the most expressive monuments of late-Gothic Prague. It was built in place of the dilapidated original gate named Horská Gate, also known as the Ragged Gate, which dated back to the first half of the 13th century. The Powder Gate Tower brought one of the main roads from Eastern Bohemia, namely from Kutná Hora, into the city. Its foundation stone was laid in 1475. The construction was conducted by builder Václav, and later from 1478 onwards by Matěj Rejsek, who also provided some of the rich sculptural decorations. The tower was founded on the bottom of a fortification moat, approximately 9 m below today’s street level. Later, the moat was filled up, having lost its significance after the foundation of the New Town, and the bridge leading to the passageway also disappeared. From 1488, the gate remained unfinished, probably due to the fact that the royal residence moved from the Old Town back to the Castle. Further construction works were only started in 1592 under mayor Krocín of Drahobejl, when the new entrance was built together with the spiral staircase (still in use today). Before that, access was only possible via a gallery from the Royal Court (Královský dvůr). Today’s name of “Powder Gate” has been used since the beginning of the 18th century, but there is no evidence or sources to confirm that the tower was actually used for gunpowder storage. The sculptural decorations were damaged by Prussian artillery fire in 1757, and they were all removed in 1817. In 1823, a clock was installed in the tower, and later removed. Today’s appearance dates back to 1875 – 1886, when the Powder Gate Tower was restored and completed in pseudo-Gothic style by architect Josef Mocker, in cooperation with significant Bohemian sculptors like Bohuslav Schnirch and Ludvík Šimek. The Powder Gate Tower is 65 metres high, the observation deck is at a height of 44 metres, and the spiral staircase has 186 stone steps. No other symbol could be more typical of the Powder Gate Tower than the crown. The Powder Gate Tower is considered to be the beginning of the so-called Royal Route, a historical route leading through the city centre to St. Vitus Cathedral, travelled by future Bohemian kings before their coronation. Albrecht II Habsburg was the first to ride from this site to the cathedral in 1438, while Ferdinand V the Good was the last to make the ceremonial journey to his coronation in 1836. The Powder Gate Tower is therefore linked to a number of Bohemian rulers, whose statues also adorn its façade. If you look
