New Town Hall, Prague

At the northern edge of Charles Square, the New Town Hall has a late-Gothic tower reminiscent of its counterpart in the Old Town Hall, alongside three imposing Renaissance gables. Throughout its existence, this building has been a silent witness to many historic events, including the infamous Defenestration of Prague on July 30th, 1419. During this event, a crowd of townspeople, followers of the martyred religious reformer Jan Hus, forcibly ejected Catholic town councilors from the windows, marking the beginning of the Hussite revolution. Later, in 1609, the Bohemian nobility convened here to compel Emperor Rudolf II to issue a decree guaranteeing religious freedoms.

Initially serving as the seat of the New Town government, the building's role changed in 1784 when Emperor Josef II merged Prague's four towns. It was then repurposed as a courthouse and prison, earning the moniker "Prague’s Bastille". Interestingly, two wards of the ground-floor prison are named after their first inmates, Polévka (soup) and Jelito (pork-blood sausage).

In 1905, a significant reconstruction effort stripped away traces of the Classicist remodeling from the early 19th century, restoring the Hall to its original Renaissance appearance from the early 16th century. A more recent overhaul, spanning from 1976 to 1996, tailored the premises to the needs of the Prague 2 Municipal Office, while also accommodating regular exhibitions and contemporary art shows. Additionally, Café Neustadt in the courtyard offers a cozy retreat, and visitors can ascend the tower for a panoramic view of the New Town. Similar to the Old Town Hall, this venue remains a popular choice for weddings.