One of the ancient Old Town squares is the Coal Market, which got its name after the house, which had been standing in the middle of the market from away back to the beginning of 19th century and in which there were a blacksmith’s shop and miner’s house, where the charcoal was sold since 14th century.
In the place of the former house a fountain has been standing since 1951, which had been established by rich Prague burgher Jakub Wimmer (1754-1822) in 1797. However, this is its fourth location. Sculpture in the middle of the squared sandstone pool, is work by Prague sculptor František Xaver Lederer. Sculptural group of a boy, handing over a grape to a sitting girl, represents allegory of fruit farming and wine growing. Central column of the fountain, through which water runs, represents the palm trunk winded with wine grape. It is ended with a swan with raised head which spouts water. It falls to the fountain over the upper plate.
The southern side of the coal Market is closed with series of burgher houses with arcades. There is also situated one of Prague historical restaurants, U Dvou kocek. In the end of the arcade it is possible to go the court-yard of Platýz, or even to the Národní Avenue.
Part of the western boundary is formed by a new neo-renaissance school building no. 425. It was successively built during 1882-1899 according to designs by architects and builders Josef Srdínek, Alois Elhenický and Ludvík Cížek.
The author of this painting is Jan Minarík. You can find this painting in book 'Starou Prahou Jana Minaríka' (
visit link) .
Jan Bedrich Minarík (December 15, 1862, Prague-Vyšehad - May 26, 1937) (
visit link) , was a Czech painter and graphic artist, pupil J. Marák at the Prague Academy. He became famous as a painter of motifs disappearing part of Prague. His work falls within the years 1907-1911. His paintings captured Josefov district and some parts of the Old Town and New Town. Also captured a number of motifs vanishing areas or individual houses. He also painted on Vysehrad, Mala Strana and Prague Castle.
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Na obraze zleva domy c.p. 413 „U Cibulku", puvodne gotický, upravený v roce 1816 do dnešní klasicistní podoby, c.p. 414 „U Trí per" ci „U Vlcího hrdla", puvodne gotický, prestavený v rane barokním stylu, pricemž prucelí je znehodnoceno pozdejšími úpravami: c.p 415 tzv. „Malý Platýz" ci „U Dvou kocek", „U Trnku". „U Ruky", dnešní podoba z let 1826-1827. Dále vidíme c.p. 416 „Platýz" ci „Platejz" ci „U Holcu", postavený na míste starší zástavby v roce 1813 podle plánu K. Hausknechta, prestavba všech kridel domu pak probíhala až do 40. let 19. století. V té dobe tu koncertoval Ferenz List. V pruhledu kostel sv. Martina ve zdi puvodne z 12. století upravovaný v letech 1905-1906 Kamilem Hilbertem.