Dum "U Vejvodu" / "U Vejvodu" burgherhouse" burgherhouse - Prague - Renaissance Architecture on Waymarking.com

"U Vejvodu" house, originally two Gothic houses from the start of 15th century, was reshaped into one of the most beautiful Prague' late-Renaissance burgherhouses in the first half of 17th century.

A picturesque Renaissance house on the corner of Jilská and Vejvodova Street was used as a brewery for a very long time. Originally two Gothic houses from 1403 (a maltster’s and a brewer’s house), were transformed into one Renaissance structure in 1618 by Melichar Haldius. The house was finished by the Old Town mayor Mikuláš Turek of Rosenthal, who owned it from 1635. He lead the Prague defenders in 1648 against the Swedes, and Emperor Ferdinand III expressed his gratefulness by ennobling him and granting him a coat of arms. His emblem is carved above the house’s Renaissance portal. Back then, the house was called U Turku.

In 1717, house was sold to Jan Václav Vejvoda and his wife. Jan Vejvoda was an Old Town scrivener, later myaor of the Prague' Old Town. Similarly to chief magistrate Turek, also Jan Vejvoda won his honours fighting an enemy, this time during French and Bavarian occupation of Prague in the years 1741-1742, and later during the Prussian siege of Prague in 1744. He was also ennobled; Maria Theresa appointed him a sovereign with an attribute "Of Stromberg". The "U Vejvodu Brewery" is one of Prague’s oldest breweries, and many famous Prague citizens used to visit the pub that was always a part of it. Leaving aside important medieval preachers, let’s name for example stonemason Matyáš Rejsek or Karel Havlícek Borovský or František Palacký. In the beginning of the 20th century, the house was in a state of disrepair and was threatened by demolition. It was rescued thanks to the efforts of the member of the Club for the Old Prague and of the Artistic Association, lead by painter Karel Ladislav Klusácek. In the end, he bought the house and in 1908 he had it restored at his own expense by architect Josef Fanta. He established Pilsner restaurant in the passage, where he ran a cabaret from time to time, and he transformed the auditorium in the house to a cinema. He added a smaller, Secession portal to the original large one. The yard wall was decorated by painter Klusácek with funny sgraffito inscriptions. Ancient bay window mounted on massive stone consoles, carved doors, stone coat of arms above the entrance, coloured windows - all that contributes to the historical character of the picturesque house.