21 October 2025 – Prague City Tourism is continuing its programme to revitalise Prague’s historic towers. The latest project has resulted in the repair of the plinth at the St Nicholas Bell Tower. The five-month restoration work followed on from last year’s renovation of the entrance portal, meaning the tower now boasts both a renewed doorway and a refurbished stone plinth framing it. The total cost of the project was CZK 800,000. “By caring for Prague’s landmarks, we ensure they remain accessible to future generations as part of the city’s unique spirit,” says Deputy Mayor Jiří Pospíšil. “In this case, we repaired the lower section of the entrance to the St Nicholas Bell Tower. I encourage everyone to visit this remarkable monument, which features several fascinating exhibitions and even a former observation post of the Communist police.” The restoration of this mid-eighteenth-century Baroque landmark, visited by some fifty thousand domestic and international tourists each year, began in late May. The work included removing unsuitable repairs carried out in the past, treating damaged areas, cleaning the stone surfaces, and washing them with high-pressure water. Refurbishment of the interior is also under way, with parts of the wooden staircase being reinforced, sanded, and freshly varnished. Completion is planned for October and November. “The plinth of the façade is made of sandstone blocks in varying states of damage. The aim of the restoration was to stabilise the structure and replace missing sections with artificial stone. First, the entire surface was cleaned and the most unstable parts removed. After filling and re-pointing the masonry, we carefully unified the colouring with subtle retouches,” explains Karel Kučera, curator of Prague’s towers. “The repairs followed on directly from the restoration of the entrance portal, which we completed last year,” says František Cipro, chair of Prague City Tourism’s boar, adding, “Each year we assess the condition of the heritage sites in our care and carry out the necessary repairs to preserve and revitalise them.” A look into history The St Nicholas Bell Tower, a dominant landmark of the Lesser Quarter, dates from the eighteenth century and was built by the Jesuit order. It originally served as a fire watchtower (the last of its kind to remain in use in Prague). Today, visitors can step inside the authentic living quarters of former watchmen, who once warned residents and firefighters of approaching danger. From the 1960s the tower was also used as an observation post by the police. This year, a new exhibition – the Papered Room – opened to the public, offering a rare glimpse into working-class housing at the end of the nineteenth century.
