Dům U černého vola, U zlatého vola, U sv. Lukáše House

Welcome to the Loretian Square in the heart of Hradčan. You're standing in front of a building that looks like a cozy townhouse, but its walls hide the stories of many generations of people who made up the history of our city. Look at the facade of this house, which we know today mainly because of our hospitality tradition. It's where time stopped and where you still feel the spirit of old Prague. Feel the atmosphere of this place that served as a refuge for those who sought peace, society or space for deep thoughts. Now let's look at how people got to this place and how it evolved. The history of hospitality in this house goes very deep. The first records of the wheat room in this building dates back to the year seven hundred twenty-six. So imagine how many people here have drunk their sorrows or celebrated their achievements over the centuries. A significant break occurred in the year one thousand eight hundred seventy-two, when the Svoboda husbands set up a inn here under the name of the Golden Bull. Later, at the turn of the century in a thousand eight hundred ninety-nine, Josef Brinda took over. This house was not just an ordinary business, but it became the real center of social life in Hradčany. Now pay attention to the building itself. Although the house may seem stealth, it is protected by monuments and its form affected various repairs and modifications. One of the important renovations was the one from the year one thousand nine hundred sixty-five led by architect Rudolf Hadrava. Thanks to his work, the inn could reopen its doors in a form that respected his history. Look at the front of the house and perceive its harmony with the surrounding environment of the Loretanian Square. It is an architecture that does not force its size to be admired, but rather its humanity and its sense of home. But if we look deeper, we will find that this house was home to some of the most important personalities of the Czech nation. Imagine that politicians like Karel Kramář, Václav Klofáč or Alois Rašín sat in these rooms. Here came the people who formed a modern Czech state. But they weren't just politicians. The inn was a magnet for artists and writers. Remember names like Jakub Arbes, Kamil Hilbert or painter Mikoláš Aleš. They are joined by Jan Štursa, Karel Pecka or philosopher Karel Kosík. I names such as Pavel Vrba, Josef Adámek, Stanislav Tůma or Jan Reich are associated with this place. For these people, the Golden Bull's House was a place of freedom, where new ideas could be born, and where issues of art, philosophy and politics were addressed in an informal atmosphere. Let's now go to the part that may be most fascinating. This house has witnessed even darker and more tiring times. In the late 1980s, when there was a severe censorship in the country, there was a secret newspaper editorial. It was a paper issued in the form of a samizdate, i.e. illegally and in secret, because it was not allowed to be printed in official printers. In these walls there were therefore actual resists against the regime. For example, the Maffie political group worked in the house. Imagine the tension that must have existed here when people gathered to tell the truth in secret and spread it among the population. This house was not only a place for peace and a glass of beer, but it became a fortress of intellectual freedom. There's one interesting thing that might make you laugh. Note that the house is sometimes referred to as the Black Bull. Why is that? It's probably a simple mistake. There is a house next door at the Black Vors, and people have probably taken the name, creating this new alternative name. It is a beautiful example of how legends are created in Prague and how language changes over time. But the Golden Bull House is not only known for its history and secret meetings, but also for its goodness. In the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven he won the Foundation Place in the Heart. And for his charity towards the school for the blind. It is a beautiful ending to the story of this house, which shows that alongside politics and art there was a human heart and an effort to help those in need. There is still a restaurant in the building today that follows this long tradition. If you have the chance, I suggest you look inside and try to feel the energy of the place where the greatest thinkers of their time met. Whether you're here for a short visit, or if you stop for rest, remember that every corner of this house tells its own story of courage, friendship, and humanity. This concludes our short stop at the Golden Bull House. I hope you're interested in these stories and that you're now looking at this building with different eyes. Now I invite you to continue to explore the beautiful streets of Hradčan and discover other hidden treasures of our city. I wish you a pleasant walk and a beautiful day in Prague. Goodbye.