Powder Gate

The 65m-tall Powder Gate was begun in 1475 on the site of one of Staré Město’s original 13 gates. Built during the reign of King Vladislav II Jagiello as a ceremonial entrance to the city, it was left unfinished after the king moved from the neighbouring Royal Court to Prague Castle in 1483. The name comes from its use as a gunpowder magazine in the 18th century. Josef Mocker rebuilt and decorated it and put up a steeple between 1875 and 1886, giving it its neogothic icing. The tower houses exhibitions on the history of the Royal Court and the towers that once punctuated Prague’s town walls, but the main attraction is the view from the top.