The small square

The next of your trip is small square, called "Small square". It had been market many years ago. In the middle there is a golden lattice from 16th century over former well. Over time, a water pump was built here, which is now not functioning. It says, the criminals were seating here inside. And townspeople threw at them row aggs and tomatoes, just for fun.

In front of you there are a few facades with some signs there. From left to the right: blue one house with a golden sun on the facade. Golden lily. Golden crown. Blue hors. Golden fish.

Previously almost all people in Europe were uneducated, didn’t know any letter, any number. Therefore all housed get some sign for identification what kind of job owner does.

For example, house with golden lily was a pharmacy. Previously the pharmacies were depicted as vegetation. Because all medicines were prepared from herbs, flowers and roots. As ingredients of medicine could be the ground stones, snake skin, wolf fang. The ingredients were collected at a certain phase of the moon. It was also necessary to read one or another prayer several times before collecting these ingredients.

But since then, of course, everything has changed. Today these signs do not contain any information, but they were left only for beauty, and often our restaurants are called “someone’s”, “something’s” based on these house signs.

Photo: Alesia - guide in Prague