The story
As you stand at the bottom of Nerudova Street, let your eyes wander upward, away from the modern shop windows and toward the ancient stone facades. You are walking the most beautiful stretch of the Royal Route, the historical path once taken by Bohemian kings on their way to their coronation at Prague Castle. But as you climb this steep hill, try to imagine it without the modern house numbers we rely on today.
Before 1770, when Empress Maria Theresa ordered a standardized numbering system, your address wasn’t a digit; it was an image. In this neighborhood, your home was your identity, carved into the very stone above your door. Take a few steps up the hill to house number 12, known as the House of the Three Fiddles.
Look just above the arched entrance. Can you see the three violins carved into the stone? This wasn’t just a whimsical decoration.
In the late 17th and 18th centuries, this building was the residence of three successive generations of master luthiers, most notably the Edlinger family. They were the most celebrated violin makers in Prague, providing instruments to the city’s finest orchestras. Their sign served as both a business advertisement and a coordinate.
A traveler wouldn’t be told to find number twelve; they would be told to head to the house where the fiddles play. Continuing your climb, keep an eye out for house number 6, the House of the Red Eagle. The heraldic bird stares down at you from a decorative medallion, its wings spread wide in a pose of protective power.
In the medieval mind, the eagle represented nobility and far-reaching vision. While many signs on this street represented a trade, others were born from local legends. It is whispered that a real eagle once nested in the ruins of a building here after a great fire, and when the new house rose from the ashes, the bird remained, immortalized in red paint and stone to guard the threshold.
Further up, near the bend at number 27, you will spot the House of the Golden Key. Suspended over the doorway, this ornate symbol belonged to a master locksmith. In a city of hidden courtyards and fortified palaces, the man who crafted the keys held the literal and figurative trust of the nobility.
The gold leaf wasn't just for show; it signaled the prestige of the guild and the high quality of the craftsmanship found within these walls. As you catch your breath on this incline, remember that every sun, lobster, and swan you see carved into these walls is a window into the past. Jan Neruda, the famous Czech writer for whom this street is named, lived at the Sign of the Two Suns near the top.
He spent his life documenting the eccentric characters of this district. When you look at these signs today, you aren't just looking at art; you are reading the directory of a city that has stayed much the same for centuries. Enjoy the climb, and keep your eyes on the stone.