Dům u Zlatého jablka House

Dům u Zlatého jablka is a two-storey townhouse from the end of the 13th century on the south side of Charles Square in Cologne. The object is remarkable by its original Gothic core and layered architectural styles from Baroque to Empire. It has been protected as a cultural monument since 1958.

The construction was built in the late phase of the 13th century on a narrow plot. Its location on Charles Square was related to the function of this space, which served as a marketplace in the Middle Ages. It was conditional on the location of the town on the Trstenica trail. At the time the house was established, Central Europe experienced the boom of cities and the development of trade routes, making Kolín an important business centre.

It's an architectural object with an original medieval core. In the 18th century it was enriched by the built-in second floor and Baroque facade. At the beginning of the 19th century, empirical treatment followed. The house is covered by a mansard roof with a narrower court wing. The facade ends with a semi-circular shield with a round window. Below it is placed a relief representing two peacock pens or a branch with leaves. The roof is currently covered with sheet metal and eternity.

The front of the house breaks four window axes. The windows on the first floor have simple champagne and triangular moldings. Between floors there is a belt in the middle of which is placed the stucco ornament of the apple. It is a torso of the original cartouche which was damaged when the facade was repaired in the early 20th century. The second floor shows simple lambstones under the windows; its decorative elements were created only after later treatment.

In the ground floor there was originally an arch which was later walled up. The entrance to the house leads a wooden door with a skylight to the modern corridor. There are also two stores with windows. Interiors on the ground floor are characterized by corridors with valened vaults and lunettes. On the first floor was preserved cast iron rod banister with oval and ceiling with decorative stucco mirror.

The fact that there was a public well at the house in the first half of the 19th century is one of the attractions of the building. Currently, the building serves as a residential building with commercial premises on the ground floor.

Dům u Zlatého jablka represents an authentic example of the development of Cologne township from goth to modern times. It is a valuable witness to the business history of the city and is worth visiting especially in terms of facade details and preserved internal elements.