Hergetova cihelna Brick

Welcome to one of the most atmospheric parts of Prague, in the heart of the Little Party. Stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and look at the building right in front of you. The first impression can be deceptive, because today it acts as an elegant cultural space, but this building carries echoes of hard work, fire and clay. You're standing in front of Herget's brick house, a place that has undergone an incredible transformation over more than two centuries. Feel its shapes and imagine that at the time this building was built, it was not the silence of museums, but the noise of production and the heat of furnaces.

Let us now return in time deep into the past, namely to 1781. It was this year that the first operating buildings that served as bricks were completed. The entire company was founded by František Antonín Linhart Herget. At that time Malá Strana was a different place than today and the need for building material was huge. The brick house was not just a common workshop, it was a strategic part of the city, where the building blocks of Prague houses were formed from the local clay. Imagine those cars that were coming out of here to help build the city that we admire today.

Now pay attention to the appearance of the building itself. If you look closely at her, you will notice that her face has changed over the years. Originally, the building was built in a Baroque style, which was a style full of dynamics and decoration, typical of Prague at the time. However, the first major change came in 1796. According to Josef Zobel's plans, the building underwent a radical reconstruction. The Baroque elements gave way to Classicism, which brought more order, purity and nobility. Classicism was trying to return to the ideals of the ancient, which gave the building the calm and balanced look you feel today.

This process of improvement did not end. In 1857 there was another significant classical reconstruction. This time, architects Alexander Hellmich and Kašpar Předák are responsible for the project. It is thanks to their work that the building has acquired its final form, which defines it as a characteristic part of the panorama of this neighborhood. Take a look at the facade and see how it combines the practicality of the original brick with the ambitions of later owners who wanted the building to look representative and modern. It is a fascinating example of how architecture adapted to new times and needs.

But when we look at the present, we find that Hergetova cihelna no longer produces construction material. Today, this place is linked to one of the most important names of world literature. The Franz Kafka Museum is in the building today. There is a kind of poetic contrast that the place where the hard bricks were formed before now hosts a space dedicated to the fragility of human being and the complex inner worlds of the writer who lived and formed in Prague. In addition to the museum, you will find a restaurant and exhibition facilities that breathe new life into the building and make it a living centre of culture.

If you look around now, perhaps something very unusual will attract your attention. There is a provocative statue in front of the building known as the peeing fountain. Its author is famous artist David Černý. This installation is a typical example of its style, which combines humor, irony and criticism. It's a sharp contrast to the seriousness of classical architecture behind your back. This fountain recalls that Prague is a city where history and modern provocations are constantly met and supplemented.

But this space also hides less familiar stories. At the beginning of the twentieth century, when the brick shop no longer fulfilled its original function, the building served as a warehouse. What's interesting, however, is that there was a garage for historic carriages in the premises. Imagine the cars being knocked out that were resting in silence while outside the world was changing and the carriages began to replace the first cars. The building thus served as a silent witness to the transition from one century to another.

But the history of this place was not only about flourishing and changing functions, but also about testing. A tragic fire hit the building in 1995. This time, the fire that used to be produced in the brick kilns turned against the building itself and the object burned down. It may seem to be the end, but thanks to great effort and precise reconstruction, the building has risen from the ashes again. In 2003, the building was finally operational and opened to the public in the form you see it now. This rebirth is a symbol of the resilience and value that this cultural monument represents for the city.

Now that you know the story of Herget's brick, from the baroque beginnings to the classicist shapes to the carriage season and the tragic fire to the present museum, look at it again. Do you only see the old house in it, or do you already feel the layers of time that it carries? It's where the industrial past meets the intellectual presence.

I ask you now to enter or explore the surrounding alleys of the Little Party. Let yourself be inspired by the atmosphere of this place and perhaps in your mind think about what other stories these walls still hold. I hope this short trip to history has helped you better perceive the beauty and significance of Herget's brick. I wish you a pleasant continuation in discovering the secrets of Prague. Goodbye.