House of Black Virgin Mary

The corner building in front of you is cubist style.

Inside you can find small museum of cubism and not very known small cozy cafe with terrace in the first floor. And that’s why not many people go there, maybe it’s a good opportunity for you to sit, relax and have a cup of coffee.

What is interesting to see on a facade? Right on the corner there is statue of Virgin Mary with a child in a gold lattice. Colour of their skin is black. There is several versions why:

1. The material of statue get darkened over time.

2. The colour of skin is similar to the colour of soil, from with new life have born.

3. Or it is a gift from Benedicttian from Spain’s Monserat.

This Madonna is copy. The statue belongs to the Gallery of Prague. The copy is cut according to the original, it is wooden, decorated with gold and polychromy. The gallery no longer wants to expose the original sculpture, which was the house sign of the building, on whose plot the cubist house was built, to influence of weather.

There is a legend attached to the statue of Madonna. It is said that if a statuette or image of the Madonna is located somewhere, there are supposedly underground passages in these places. And in the case of this house, this is indeed the case! Corridors lead from there under Senovazne square, Municipal House, Kralodvorska street and into the basement of the house near the Tyn Church.

Photo: Alesia - guide in Prague