If you were blindfolded and somebody brought you to New World (Nový svět),
you would hardly recognize that you were still in Prague. A narrow, winding street, quaint, small, low houses and, behind a fence, gardens that create the atmosphere of the countryside. Somewhere at the end, further than the eye can see, is the overgrown upper part of the Deer Moat (Jelení příkop) part of the medieval fortifications of Prague Castle and Hradčany. It is hard to belive that modern life of the 21st century pulses just a few dozen meters away.
New World Street used to be the backbone of the suburbs of Hradčany, was founded the mid-14th century and after 1360 included into the new town fortifications. It was rebuilt after the fires of 1420 and 1541. Its name also dates back to this period. Its inhabitants were rather poor as is evident in the appearance of the houses. Neither their size nor their artistic sophistication is exceptional, but they have kept their indisputable charm and quaint character, some still being adorned with the original house sign. Many of the houses made up for their lack of splendour with their names, most of which have gold in them. Today this romantic setting is used mainly by artists, but in the past some of the abodes were associated with the fates of eminent people.
Golden Gryphon House, Number 76, was occupied by the astronomer Tycho de Brahe in 1600. Golden Acorn House, Number 79, belonged to the Santini family at the beginning of the 18th century, one of whom was an important Czech Baroque architect. In Number 90, Golden Plough House, the violinist František Ondříček was born in 1857. In Number 77, Golden Pear House, is a wellknown period restaurant. Number 78, Golden Grape House on the corner of Capuchin Street (Kapucínská ulice) has a fine oriel with a stone sculpture of a shark. In the rear annexe of the building standing at the very end of New World, below the embankment of Kepler Street (Keplerova ulice), a pretty timbered house is preserved, the only building of its kind in historical Prague. Quaint suburban Baroque houses can also be found in the adjacent Černín Street (Černínská ulice)
THE SMALLEST HOUSE
Several "applicants" compete for the title of the smallest house in Prague. The red-hot favourite for the title is the corner mini-house No 6. One of its walls faces the New World, another is in Černín Street (Černínova ulice), and the others are connected to the walls of the bigger and taller neighbouring buildings. The interior, in which there is barely enough room for
a somersault, is illuminated by a single window. The door is only drawn in the plaster and the actu al entrance i s from
a neighbouring house. The quaintness of the whole building is emphasized by its hollow tile roof, from which
a high chimney points out like a finger.
BRAHE AND KEPLER
I At the turn of the 16th century
two important European astronomers, Tycho de Brahe (1546-1601) and Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) were employed at the court of Emperor Rodolph II. In 1600 Brahe lived in one of the New World houses. However, from 1599 until his death in 1601
he spent most of his time in
the so-called Kurz Summer Palace at nearby Pohořelec, where Kepler worked with
him for some time. Remains of the summer palace were discovered and uncovered at the beginning of the 20th century in the grounds of
a present-day grammar school. Both famous scholars are commemorated by a statue erected in 1984. Brahe died probably of a kidney disease, and was buried in Týn Cathedral (Týnský chrám) in Prague Old Town. Claims that his bladder burst during
a heated discussion with his students, or while watching the eclipse of the sun, or at
a banquet given by Petr Vok of Rožmberk, are false. Kepler lived in Prague until the year 1612. Here he articulated his famous laws concerning the motion of the planets on their elliptical orbits, laws which were included in the most famous astronomical work of all time, Astronomia nova, which was published in 1609, thanks to the support of Rodolph II.
Somewhere at the end, further than the eye can see, is the overgrown upper part of the Deer Moat (Jelení příkop) part of the medieval fortifications of Prague Castle and Hradčany. It is hard to belive that modern life of the 21st century pulses just a few dozen meters away.
New World Street used to be the backbone of the suburbs of Hradčany, was founded the mid-14th century and after 1360 included into the new town fortifications. It was rebuilt after the fires of 1420 and 1541. Its name also dates back to this period. Its inhabitants were rather poor as is evident in the appearance of the houses. Neither their size nor their artistic sophistication is exceptional, but they have kept their indisputable charm and quaint character, some still being adorned with the original house sign. Many of the houses made up for their lack of splendour with their names, most of which have gold in them. Today this romantic setting is used mainly by artists, but in the past some of the abodes were associated with the fates of eminent people. 
