dům U Zlatého melounu House

Welcome to the heart of Prague's Old Town. Right now you're standing in front of a building that carries layers of many centuries of history. Look ahead at dům U Zlatého melounu. At first glance, it may seem like one united palace, but if you think about its history, you will find that there is a real monument to Prague's urbanism before you. Feel the atmosphere of this place where the medieval past meets with a later Baroque attraction.

Now let's stop at how this house actually came into being. What you see is not the work of one architect from one period, but the result of a long process. This building was created by a combination of two original houses that stood here in the 13th century. The first of them, known as the Melon house, is mentioned in the records in the year one thousand four hundred and one. The second, the Christopher House, appears in the documents a few years later, namely in the year one thousand four hundred and seven. So imagine, over the centuries, these two separate medieval buildings were gradually unifying, until one large entity was created.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself and to what you can see right in front of you. Notice the facade of the building. Even though the foundations are deep in the Middle Ages, the current form of the house you see has formed after a thousand seven hundred sixty. It is fascinating that despite the unification, the building has retained some irregularities in its availability, making it a unique piece of Prague architecture. Look carefully at the entrance. Your eyes should now find a late Baroque portal that gives the house its noble character.

And here comes the moment that is absolutely crucial to this house. Look up and look for home signs. Do you see him? It's the golden melon. At a time when people could not read and houses had no numbers, such signs served as landmarks. This particular golden melon sign is documented from the 15th century, which makes it one of the oldest and most remarkable symbols in the city centre. It's a small but very important detail that gives the house his name and identity.

Now that you know the look of the house, let's move on to the people who left their trail. This palace, also known as Chotkovsky, was a home and sanctuary for many prominent personalities. Among them was Rudolf Chotek. But dům U Zlatého melounu is mainly associated with music and art. Imagine how these walls in the nineteenth century became silent and replaced by the sounds of dance and music. Since the year one thousand eight hundred twenty eight here Hynek Link founded a dance school.

In the 1960s, the house became an even more important centre for musicians, because the piano house worked here. This is the place where famous composers and virtuosos of their time met and moved. Imagine there were masters like Anton Rubinstein, Hans von Bülow or Edvard Grieg walking these halls. Petr Iljič Čajkovskij or Sergej Rachmaninov could move in these areas. It is incredible to think how many musical geniuses people in one house in Prague at one time. The atmosphere of this place was thus filled with a tone of pianos and a passion for music.

It's remarkable how the function of the house changed over time. From medieval dwellings to aristocratic palace functions to center music education and rental tools. This constancy of history is exactly what makes Prague so special. That is why dům U Zlatého melounu was declared a cultural monument of the Czech Republic in the year one thousand nine hundred sixty-four. This step was to ensure its development and protection for future generations so that we could look at the golden melon and the Baroque portal today.

Stay at this house a little longer and let's try to imagine the mystery surrounding the unification of two houses. When you looked at the building, you may have noticed that its disposition is not entirely symmetrical. This is precisely the result of two doors left inside the palace. Imagine whispering in these inner courtyards, how the pianos were drawn here and how the students of the dance school trained their steps here. It's like a hidden world that can't be seen from the street right away, but that creates the true soul of this place.

If we were to summarize, you are standing in front of a building that is a bridge between different ages. From the 13th century to the Baroque to the golden age of the 19th century musicians. It's a place where practical architecture meets an artistic spirit. The golden melon watching over you is a silent witness to all these changes.

Now you can slowly continue your journey around Old Town. I suggest you look around and try to find other home signs that can tell you similar stories. Note how dům U Zlatého melounu is harmonically written into the bypass even though it carries such a unique history.

Thank you for accompanying me on this short trip in time. I hope you enjoyed the view of this beautiful palace and that you were interested in stories about music masters and gold melon. I wish you a pleasant continuation in discovering the secrets of Prague. Goodbye.