Golden Lane: Kafka’s Street

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Golden Lane is a medieval street in Prague Castle. Golden Lane means Golden Lane. Named after the 16th century alchemists who lived here and wanted to turn the elements into gold. However, there is a belief that no alchemist ever lived here.

Golden Lane is a street with 11 architecturally colorful and tiny historic houses. The gap between the Bild Tower and the Daliborka Tower, formed by a new wall added to the back of Prague Castle, was utilized in this way in the Middle Ages. After World War II the buildings were restored and in the 1950s the houses on the street were painted in vibrant colors and turned into a museum.

Prag Kalesi Golden Lane Evi
Prag Kalesi Golden Lane Hediye Dukkani

Nowadays, many of these houses have small souvenir and book shops. In a few of them, the houses are displayed as they are in daily use. The smaller the rooms are, the more one wonders how people lived here.

Prag Kalesi Golden Lane Kucuk Odalari
Prag Kalesi Altin Yol Kucuk Odalari

One of the houses is now used as a Weapon Museum. The museum exhibits armored suits, sharp instruments of war, armored masks, spears and knives. There is also a one-man shooting range where visitors can shoot arrows using crossbows. These rifles were used to shoot out of the windows in the museum against incoming enemies.

Golden Lane Silah Muzesi Zirhlilar
Golden Lane Silah Ok Atisi

Another place to see on Golden Lane is the blue painted house with door number 22. This is the house where Franz Kafka stayed with his sister Ottla between 1916 and 1917 and continued his writing. Franz Kafka wrote some of the stories in his work A Country Doctor here. Jaroslav Seifert from Prague, one of the Nobel Prize-winning writers, also lived here. However, the house where he lived was one of the few houses demolished in the 1930s.

Prag Kalesi Golden Lane Franz Kafka Evi

At the end of the street is the Daliborka Tower, which used to be a prison. Until the 18th century, the prison was named after its first prisoner, Dalibor. The torture instruments in the tower are exhibited as they are. We reach this tower from Golden Lane and then exit.

Prag Kalesi Daliborka Kulesi Iskence Aletleri
Prag Kalesi Daliborka Kulesi Gezisi

To get to Golden Lane, you can take tram number 22 or 23. Prazsky Hrad, which means Prague Castle, should be your landing stop. Then, on the way to the palace, the Golden Lane will be on the next street after the Prague Toy Museum.

Prag Kalesi Golden Lane Evleri
Prag Kalesi Golden Lane Mutfak

What are the Golden Lane entrance fee and visiting hours?

The Golden Lane is free between 09:00 – 17:00, which are the visiting hours of Prague Castle. Outside these hours, you can visit the street for free, but not the inside of the houses. There is no ticket that allows you to visit only the Golden Lane. Tickets are sold as a combo and you can use your ticket at several places in Prague Castle.