Kolej krále Václava, Bazar House

Welcome, distinguished visitors. Please stop for a moment and take a deep look at the atmosphere of this place. You are now in the heart of Prague's Old Town, the Fruit Market, where history intersects with every step you take here. There is a building in front of you that carries a trail of centuries, and even though it may seem different today than the royal manor we imagine, its past is full of intellectual movement and great names. Look at the facade of this house. What you see is the remnant of the Royal University College Václav the Fourth, which was also known at the time of its glory as the St. Clave College.

Let us now return together in time more than 600 years ago. Imagine Prague at the end of the 14th century, a city that was at that time one of the most important learning centres in Europe. Just in the year three hundred and eighty-one king Wenceslas the fourth decided to establish this place. But it wasn't just an ordinary building for accommodation. This college was supposed to serve as a seat for free arts masters of Prague University. At that time, free art meant the fundamental pillars of human knowledge, from grammar and logic to astronomy and music. So imagine that in these walls, where you may hear the hustle and bustle of a modern city today, deep discussions once took place about the nature of the universe, about the power of words and about the truths that would help humanity understand the world better.

Now pay attention to the very form of the building. As you can see, the dorm was housed in a Gothic house. Gothic is a style that we find in many places in Prague, but here you can see the practicality associated with the social status at the time. Notice the overall impact of the construction and perceive its stability. Although the building has changed and adapted for new purposes over the centuries, its basic character from the Middle Ages still lies in it. Take a look at the facade details and try to imagine what this house looked like when it was a symbol of royal care for science and education. It wasn't just a stone structure, it was a space where the sharpest minds of the time met.

When we talk about the personalities we associate with this place, we cannot forget one name that sounds like thunder in the history of world science. Johannes Kepler. This famous astronomer worked here in the seventeenth century. Imagine Kepler walking through these corridors looking for answers to questions that no one else could solve at the time. It was in the year of the thousand six hundred and four that the construction of the observatory tower began for him. Try to look up and imagine how Kepler from a height watched the movement of planets and stars, how he wrote down his calculations and how he tried to reveal the harmony of the universe. It is fascinating to think that the foundations of modern astronomy were formed here, in Prague, in this dorm.

Apart from Kepler, there were other important people like Marek Bydžovský z Florentina or Martin Bacháček z Nouměřic. The names may not be known today as Kepler's, but they were the people who formed the backbone of the then academic life. Later, the names Aloise Oliva and Louise Olive joined the building, which shows us how the role of this place changed over time and how the Royal Institute of Education became the hands of private owners.

But history is not only about ups and downs, but also about breaking moments that change everything. Let's move on to the year one thousand six hundred twenty-two. It was a year of deep sadness and change for the University of Prague. As a result of political and religious unrest, Czech professors left, which led to the abolition of this royal college. Imagine the empty space, the silence that replaced the students' screams and passionate feud. The college lost its original meaning, and its fame as the center of science began to go out slowly. A few decades later, in the year one thousand seven hundred and four, the building was finally sold to private owners. This act closed the chapter of the royal patronage and the building began to live its own civilian life.

You may now wonder why this place is so interesting today, since it no longer serves as a university. That's where the secret and the magic of Prague lie. This building is living proof of how society's priorities change. From royal foundation to scientific discoveries of global importance to private ownership and the current state of the bazaar. It is an unexpected contrast that the place where the planets used to count earlier is now used to trade in various objects. But it is this contrast that reminds us that history is not only in museums, but is present in every house we go through.

Now, if you look at the building again, you don't just see an ordinary fruit market house. You see in it a reflection of the ambitions of King Wenceslas the fourth, you see the silent shadow of astronomer Kepler, and you feel echoes of medieval debates. It's a place where the royal power has joined the human desire for knowledge.

Thank you for stopping by this hidden treasure of Prague history for a moment. I hope this short trip in time helped you see more than what you can see at first sight. Now, I invite you to look around, see the fruit market and continue to explore the other beauties of our city. Let your curiosity guide you and search for stories that hide behind every facade. I wish you a pleasant and inspiring walk through Prague. Goodbye.