Stone Bell House, or Dům U Kamenného zvonu, is a medieval building on Prague’s Old Town Square, beside Kinský Palace. Its restored Gothic façade, with pointed windows and intricate details, is the clearest reason to pause here. Inside, the Prague City Gallery hosts contemporary art exhibitions, and the building also has a café and bookshop. Its origins reach back to the second half of the 13th century; the house may have served as a temporary home for Eliška Přemyslovna and Jan of Luxembourg. The current exhibitions are a separate draw from the historic architecture.
A medieval residence on Old Town Square
The house’s earliest building phase dates to the second half of the 13th century. Parts of that early structure survive in the cellars and on the ground floor of the south wing. A later phase followed around 1310, and the complex grew into a larger residence that extended beyond the building seen today.
The house may have provided temporary accommodation for Eliška Přemyslovna and Jan of Luxembourg after they arrived in Prague. The connection is not established by written records. Medieval decorative fragments found in the building include pieces thought to represent members of the royal family, alongside sculpted heads, including a lion with glass eyes and a figure known as a savage man.
The façade and its restoration
Repeated rebuilding between the 15th and 19th centuries changed the house’s Gothic appearance. It was later restored in a Gothic style, with extensive work carried out from 1975 to 1987. The restoration uncovered and repaired the Gothic façade in place of the Baroque frontage.
The stone bell on the corner is a replica, and the building takes its name from it. One account connects the name to a bell that fell from the nearby Church of Our Lady before Týn and struck the house; the name was recorded in 1413. The bell is also associated with an event in 1310, when it was used to signal a nonviolent occupation by John of Luxembourg.
Inside the gallery
Since 1988, Stone Bell House has been an exhibition venue for the Prague City Gallery. The displays focus on contemporary art, so the experience inside depends on the exhibition running during your visit. Past exhibitions have included interactive elements, and the gallery occupies two floors.
The art is a different proposition from the building’s medieval exterior. If you are mainly interested in Gothic architecture, spend time examining the façade and the surviving interior details. If you want to see the gallery, check what is on before you go. A café and bookshop are also inside the house.
FAQ
Where is Stone Bell House?
It is at Staroměstské náměstí 605/13 on Prague’s Old Town Square, beside Kinský Palace.
What can you see inside Stone Bell House?
The Prague City Gallery holds contemporary art exhibitions in the building. Medieval decorative fragments and sculpted details have also been found inside.
Is Stone Bell House accessible?
The building has a wheelchair-accessible entrance, elevator and restroom.
