The picturesque Golden Lane is a tourist attraction of Prague Castle

Prague - One of the most picturesque and sought-after spots among tourists at Prague Castle is the Golden Lane, steeped in many legends. After a year of intensive reconstruction, it will open to visitors in its new beauty on June 1st.
   
Basic information about the Golden Lane:

    - The Golden Lane, more precisely the Golden Lane by Daliborka, is a dead-end street that runs along the northern fortifications of the Castle above the Deer MOAT. It was created in the space between the original Romanesque castle wall from the 12th century and the newer Jagiellonian defensive wall from the 16th century. At the eastern end, it is closed by a tower called Daliborka (built in 1496), and at the western end lies the White Tower, which also served as a prison. The sixteen preserved houses represent the last remnants of what is known as parasitic construction of the Castle in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
    - In the 16th century, the lane was called Goldsmith's Lane; in the 17th century, it was already documented under the name Golden Lane, and in the Chronicle of Royal Prague and neighboring municipalities from 1903, it appears under the name By Daliborka.
    - The dwarfish simple houses were created by inserting them into the supporting arches of the northern defensive corridor, which, as part of the fortification system, connected Daliborka, the White Tower, and the Powder Tower - Mihuška. However, it was originally built up on both sides, making the passage width about one meter. A section of the lane near the St. George's Monastery was abolished at the request of the abbess, as the nuns were troubled by the smell and also the uproar from local taverns. During the sanitation in 1864, the extensions were removed, and only the houses on the northern side were retained, from whose windows there is a lovely view of the royal summer palace.
    - For the housing of 24 castle shooters, this place "in the wall of the castle against the garden" was reserved by a decree from 1597 by Emperor Rudolf II. The shooters also practiced various crafts here to supplement their income. There were taverns and brothels. Later, the castle servants lived here, as well as goldsmiths, from whom it likely got its name, the poor.
    - According to romantic legends from the 19th century, alchemists were said to have researched and produced gold here. In reality, they never resided here. However, alchemical workshops are mentioned in the Mihulka tower.
    - The 16th-century appearance is best evidenced by house No. 20 with its timber-framed upper floor. The original size is demonstrated by house No. 13, which adheres to the then-established provisions on inserting into the arch of the wall - its façade does not project into the lane at all. The houses are original in appearance and in that they were literally glued together from collected materials that their poor owners could afford.
    - The houses were inhabited until the Second World War, or rather, the last residents left in the 1950s. Living here was not idyllic at all - poverty, dirt, and disorder. For a long time, there was no source of water. Even in the first half of the 20th century, there was reportedly only one toilet for the residents.
    - Among the notable residents was the famous fortune-teller and clairvoyant Matylda Průšová, alias Madame de Thébes (house No. 14), and writer Franz Kafka worked in house No. 22 from 1916 to 1917. In the already demolished house between the Golden Lane and Daliborka lived poet Jaroslav Seifert at the turn of the 20s and 30s. The Golden Lane also became the setting for many literary works.
    - Already during the first republic, care was taken to ensure that the charming character of the lane remained unchanged during renovations. In the 1950s, it was decided to preserve the lane as a whole. The reconstruction and preservation modification of the lane was completed in 1955 under the direction of architect Pavel Janák. The vibrant facades were designed by painter and filmmaker Jiří Trnka at that time. The colors of the houses changed in the past and were often very vivid, so Trnka's proposal was not detached from historical reality.
    - The Golden Lane was closed in May 2010. Due to groundwater saturation from the damaged historical sewer, it was collapsing. The houses, which had no or only flimsy foundations, were at risk of collapse. The exchange of waste led to an overall reconstruction of the small houses. In its new coat, the sought-after castle location will offer tourists not only shops related to the craft tradition. The new historical exhibitions, organized by Barrandov film specialists, will primarily bring to life the period life in the Golden Lane.