A dark powerful pinnacle, and last remnant of Prague's medieval defences, the Powder Tower really shines at night, when the light switch is flicked.
In the Middle Ages, Prague had an impressive ring of fortifications, including an encircling wall studded with 13 tall towers. All that's left of them now is the 61-metre Powder Tower. Take a look at its dark brooding form, and it's easy to imagine Medieval Prague being one of the more impregnable cities of Europe. It gets its name from the fact that it was used to store gunpowder for much of the 17th century. And its defensive splendour wasn't left unmolested – it was severely damaged during the Prussian assault on the city in 1757. Prague's masons put it back into shape in the 19th century.And while the city walls have long gone, the Powder Tower, and the gate underneath it, remain an important marker for the city's residents. Head west through the gate, and you are entering the Old Town. The kings of Bohemia used to ride beneath Powder Tower too, in the years after it was built. It was part of their coronation procession to St.Vitus Cathedral. King Vladislav II Jagiello was the one who decided, in the 15th century, that the previous tower – intriguingly called Mountain Tower – needed some extra 'drama'. He commissioned his master builder Matouš Rejsek to provide it.Rejsek did so by drawing on the plans of the admired Old Town Bridge Tower, but work was halted in 1477 when a mob ransacked the King's palace. Vladislav II prudently decided that a castle across the river would be safer, and shipped his throne to Prague Castle, a couple of kilometres west. After that, although the Powder Tower remained an impressive monument, it was only rarely called into service. The city outgrew its walls, and the Tower was left as a gate stranded.It now serves, however, as a great vantage point over the Old Town – provided you can manage its 186 steep steps. There is also a visitor centre covering the Tower's intriguing history – including its alleged use by a group of alchemists, seeking to make gold from lead. Turn up at night, when its blackened façade is all lit up by powerful lights, and you might think their quest had been a success.
