“A manor house? Really, still standing?” you might ask, staring at the sprawling, meticulously preserved Pernikárna. You wouldn’t be the only one with this thought, given its tumultuous history. The Pernikárna, a former vineyard manor house, stands on a site initially inhabited over 500 years ago. The old vineyard that once stood here, spanning a mere 1.5 acres, was named after its owner, Václav Doležal, a baker who also happened to be a skilled gingerbread maker – a “pernkář.” The moniker stuck, and the “Pernikárna,” meaning “Gingerbread House,” became a permanent fixture in the Czech landscape.
After the vineyard’s initial owner came a series of new ones. By 1716, the property included not just a vineyard with a wine press but also livestock and its own kitchen garden. As the years went by, the estate grew, swallowing up nearby vineyards known as Bědvárka and Zvonická, forming an impressive 18 acres.
However, this charming historical gem was not spared the trials of the 20th century’s wars. The fate of the Pernikárna hung in the balance after World War One; it almost became a military hospital but ultimately remained in private hands. The postwar years saw the Pernikárna transformed into the home of the Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences; laboratories rose from the vineyard land, and research replaced the rhythm of vine tending.
The year 2010 brought with it a series of tumultuous events; the house was sold to private investors, leaving its future uncertain. Despite its status as a protected monument, a portion was subsequently demolished and replaced with a modern family residence. Much of the surrounding area has since undergone similar transformations, with some buildings demolished and replaced with modern structures, raising concerns about the future of the historic Pernikárna.
It is therefore all the more impressive to see this manor house, its history visibly woven into the stone, standing proudly against the backdrop of a constantly evolving city.
As you step inside, take a breath, and feel history breathe back.