dům U Zlaté studně Hotel building

Welcome to the heart of old Prague. Right now, you're standing in front of a building that looks like it attracts the attention of anyone who walks by. Look ahead at dům U Zlaté studně. It is a building that carries layers of many centuries and its present form is a significant testament to the era of the high baroque, which later included elements of Classicism. If you look at the overall appearance of the house like this, you may feel a unified harmony, but the history of this place is much more complex than it seems at first glance. Let's stop together for what happened here long before the building got its face today. To understand the spirit of this place, we have to go back deep into the past in our minds. Under the feet you're standing right now, there are secrets from the Roman era. It was from this earliest period that the vaults in the basement were preserved in the building. So imagine that the current house is based on foundations that are much older than most of the surrounding streets. It is a fascinating notion that under the modern operation of the hotel that is based here today, the core of the early Middle Ages has been preserved. Now pay attention to the period of goth. At that time, this space was not just a common residence, but a living centre of craftsmanship. This is where the masters who controlled the art of steel and iron worked. They were knives and swordsmen. These craftsmen here formed their workshop, forged blades and produced tools that were necessary for every citizen and soldier at that time. This activity was so pronounced that it significantly influenced the name of the surrounding plaque, which is called Knife's. It is a beautiful example of how human work and craft leave a mark in the names of cities that persist after the craft itself has disappeared. Now, if you look at the building again, focus on its facade. Notice the rich decorating that decorate the facade. What you see are stucco reliefs that were created in the year seven hundred and thirteen. Their author was Jan Oldřich Mayer. Look closely at the details of these ornaments. At that time, such decorating was a symbol of prestige and wealth. The Baroque style was characterized by this desire for dynamism and pomp, which is very clearly visible in the facade of the Golden well house. These reliefs aren't just decorations, but they're like an open book telling us about the aesthetics of the early eighteenth century. Now let's think about the personalities who have linked their fate to this house. The first written report on this place takes us to the year three hundred and fifty-four. There was a major transaction at the time. The house was bought by a knife named Václav Muldorfer from a man named Mikuláš Znojemský. Imagine Václav Muldorfer entering his new home and planning on developing his knife production here. It is fascinating to think that one purchase of a house over 600 years ago helped define the character of this whole corner of Prague. It is thanks to people like Muldorfer that a centre of specialized craft has been created here, which then lasted generations. If you follow the building line upwards, notice its height. The house looks very balanced, but it wasn't always like that. In the year seven hundred and sixty-nine, the building was extended to the third floor. This change was probably caused by the need for more space, suggesting that the house did not lose its value in a later period and its owners invested in its development. This superstructure combined with the previously mentioned baroque elements creates the integrity you see today. Let's stop by one interesting thing that might surprise you. We often walk around buildings and perceive them as static objects, but dům U Zlaté studně is basically a layered collage of different epoch. From Romanesque vaults in the depths of the earth, to Gothic cutters, to baroque stucco and classical details. It's like every generation has added their own layer of paint to one big picture. The most fascinating, however, is the contrast between the hard work of the swordsmen of Gothic and the fineness of stucco reliefs by Jan Oldřich Mayer. It's a path from iron and fire to art and aesthetics. Notice how the building is being written into today. The Hotel Aurus is currently housed here, which means that the house still serves as a shelter, only in modern and luxurious design. It is a beautiful ending to the story of the house, which began as a craft workshop and today serves as a resting place for visitors from all over the world. Now that you know the story of the Golden well house, I suggest you stay put and let your eyes cross the facade again. Try to imagine the sound of iron forging, which was heard from this place centuries ago, while at the same time aware of the peace and quiet of today's Prague. Feel the atmosphere of this place where history meets the present in every detail. Thank you for walking together through the history of this house. I hope you enjoyed this brief dive into the past. Now, let's invite you to further explore the area. Go through the Knife Slice and look for traces of craftsmen who once lived and worked here. I wish you a pleasant rest of the day in our beautiful city and a pleasant journey to other Prague secrets. Goodbye.