Zlatá ulička u Daliborky — Local services in Prague

Zlatá ulička, or Golden Lane, is a narrow cobbled street pressed against the castle’s outer wall. At first sight it’s quaint – pastel cottages under red-tiled roofs, jostling shoulder to shoulder – but every doorway opens into a fragment of Prague’s past.

At the western end stands the White Tower, late 15th century artillery post turned prison under Rudolf II. Its cells held captives for two centuries, while the adjoining defence gallery now houses shields, armour, and polearms – a reminder that this pretty lane was born out of fortification, not folklore.

The houses themselves began in the 1560s when Rudolf permitted his fusiliers to build dwellings into the wall’s arches, one house per bay. Later came craftsmen, servants, and the odd goldsmith – hence “Goldmakers’ Lane”. The alchemists’ story is almost certainly a later invention, though the “Alchemist’s Chamber” is staged here to keep the legend alive. Local lore clings on regardless: that these cramped rooms once hid the search for the philosopher’s stone.

Further along, the street turns into a sequence of vignettes. One house preserves a 20th-century domestic interior, another a craftsman’s bench. At No. 12 the narrative sharpens: Josef Kazda, amateur cinematographer and collector, lived here. During the Nazi occupation he risked everything to hide thousands of films and documentaries from confiscation or destruction. His reconstructed projection room, with battered chairs, reels piled high, and a hand-cranked projector facing a makeshift screen, captures that defiance.

At the eastern end, steps lead down to Daliborka Tower – another prison, its name linked to the knight Dalibor of Kozojedy, said to have learned the fiddle in captivity. Between those towers, Golden Lane condenses centuries of Prague life: fusiliers, prisoners, craftsmen, myths of alchemy, and one man’s film reels that outlasted an empire.

High walls, tiny houses,...

The most popular part of Prague Castle isn't the Royal Palace or St. Vitus Cathedral, but the picturesque "Golden Lane" (Zlatá ulička). The lane originated when King Rudolf II commissioned the construction of houses for his castle guards in the 16th century. In the 17th century, craftsmen also settled here, particularly goldsmiths, from whom the lane later took its name (although legend also tells that alchemists searching for the Philosopher's Stone, which could transform metals into gold, lived here). The lane's appearance has changed over time: in the 19th century, the houses on the south side were demolished, in the 1950's, the remaining houses were painted brightly, and with the rise of tourism, souvenir shops, in particular, were established in them. The lane's most famous resident was Franz Kafka, who lived at number 22 in 1916/1917. Although the alley is almost hidden in the northeast corner of Prague Castle, hordes of tourists find it. Nowadays, there's an entrance fee, and there are gates that help regulate the...

Very interesting and nice!

This small street was named “Golden Street “ as it had in the past alchemists that tried to make gold! 🤗 Its very unique and little different than scenery that you see around it!

Definitely worth seeing!

People here are very friendly, very kind and nice, welcoming and helpful.

Official language is czech and if some of them do not speak english or other languages they will find a way to help you if you need any help.

In general, prices are acceptable; little higher: you are visiting capital of Czech Republic & expect prices to be somewhat higher than regular places.

Additionally, Prague is the capital that was preserved and saved as it is during WW2. There were no damages or any destruction of the city.

Prague is very popular destination & many tourists come to see it. 🤗

We enjoyed in our visit and stay very...