Ungelt Building complex

Ungelt also known as Týn or Týnska Court, is a historical complex of buildings located in Prague in the Old Town between the streets of Týnská, Malá Stuparska and Štupartská. It is located in the space between the churches of the Mother of God before Tyn and St. James. The complex consists of 18 houses and is protected as a cultural monument since 1964. Ungelt has a rich history, dating back to the Middle Ages, when it served as a fortified shopping yard and customs office for international traders.

The creation of Ungelt is set in the 11th century, when Prague became an important centre of international trade. Originally Ungelt was a fortified merchant court, separated from the other city by a ditch and walls. Here, foreign buyers had to pay the protection fee, which later evolved into a mandatory duty (German Ungelt). Since the 14th century, Prague townspeople started building residential houses around the yard. In 1689, a major event occurred when the French fire caused extensive damage to the complex. After this fire, most of the houses were rebuilt in Baroque style.

The Ungelt architecture is characterized by a mixture of building styles, especially Renaissance and Baroque. Protected buildings include the Granovský Palace with the arcade gallery, the House U Váhy from 1610, the Gothic House U Caliban rebuilt in the 17th century and the Blue House with preserved Gothic cellars. Other interesting buildings include the Renaissance House in the Old Ungelt, baroque rebuilt houses such as the Greek and Black Bear with statues of saints. The complex also contains a neoclassical building of the Berglerova House from the 1880s.

Ungelt had different owners and administrators during its history. For example, the Renaissance House in Old Ungelt belonged to the Strad family, where Kateřina Stradová was the famous mistress of Emperor Rudolf II. After the fire in 1689 there were changes in the architectural nature of the complex, reflecting historical events and reconstructions.

The key legend of Ungelt is the legend of the Turk of Ungelt. According to this legend, she had an innkeeper's daughter who fell in love with a Turkish buyer. After she disappeared after marrying another boy, it was said that Turk returned and the girl was buried in a basement in a wedding dress. Since then, a young Turk's ghost has been walking on Ungelt with a girl's head.

Today Ungelt is accessible to visitors and is worth visiting because of its rich history, architectural importance and interesting reputation. The complex offers a view of the transformation of Prague from the first shopping centre in medieval Europe to the modern metropolis, which makes Ungelt not only a monument, but also a living witness to history.