This Gothic tower, almost 66 metres high, is the tallest separate belfry in Prague. It belongs to the Church of St. Henry and Kunhuta in Prague New Town near the Wenceslas Square. There is a pleasant restaurant “Zvonice” in the restored tower nowadays.
History of the tower
Jindrisska Tower was built according to Italian campaniles between 1472 and 1476. It belonged to the Order of the Knights of the Cross with a Red Star. It was used as an army guard tower in 1648 and it was damaged by Swedish gunnery then.
Another damage came in 1757, when Prague was besieged by Prussian army, and in 1801, when a windstorm broke its Gothic roof. Jindrisska Tower was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in 1879 by J. Mocker.
Clock and bells of the Jindrisska Tower
The clock on the tower is from 1577 and there are colored symbols of Prague New Town, Old Town and the Czech lands by the clock´s dial. Three bells hang in the tower. The biggest bell is called Jindrich, it weighs 3350 kg and it is from 1680. The oldest bell Maria was made in 1518. The third bell is called Dominik and it weighs 1 ton.
Jindrisska Tower was rebuilt once again in 2001, but the old walls were not touched. There are 10 floors in the tower, a staircase and an elevator. A look-out was made in the 10 th floor, and it provides a beautiful view over Prague panorama and especially the city centre.
Restaurant “Belfry”
You can visit the restaurant “Zvonice” (Belfry), which occupies the 7 th, 8 th and 9 th floor. Its interior is interesting because of the original bell St. Maria, which is kept there, and also the intact original girders of the belfry.
