A stone ram. What stories could it tell if it could speak? We are standing in front of U Kamenného beránka. It is located on Old Town Square. This building has witnessed centuries of Prague’s rich history.
U Kamenného beránka means At the Stone Ram. Its history stretches back to Romanesque times. Some historians claim it is one of Prague’s oldest buildings. This is supported by its Romanesque foundations.
Over the centuries, U Kamenného beránka has been rebuilt several times. Around 1520 a new early Renaissance portal was added. In the early 17th century the house was raised. It gained a third floor and a large gable. After a fire in 1945 the interiors were completely renovated.
The name U Kamenného beránka was first recorded in 1452. It was used until the end of the 18th century. Later it became a pharmacy called U Bílého jednorožce. That means At the White Unicorn. Some say the unicorn name was a mistake. The house sign next to the second-floor balcony showed a ram’s head. But one horn had fallen off.
U Kamenného beránka has had many owners. It was once called Pelechovský and then Trčkovský after them. In the early 17th century Václav Šťastný Pětipeský owned it. He was a director of the Czech Kingdom. Later, Max Fanta became a significant owner. He was a pharmacist and the inventor of the Fanta tray.
At the turn of the 20th century Max Fanta’s wife Berta ran a literary salon here. Berta Fantová was an intellectual writer and anthroposophist. Important Prague figures gathered here. These included Franz Kafka Max Brod Franz Werfel and Samuel Hugo Bergmann. Guests included Rudolf Steiner Christian von Ehrenfels and Albert Einstein. From 1911 to 1912 Einstein played violin duets with pianist Otýlie Nagelová here. A plaque commemorates Einstein’s visits. It shows a relief of his head with Czech and English text.
From the early 1990s until 2011 U Jednorožce housed a bookstore. It specialized in science fiction and fantasy books.
Today U Kamenného beránka stands as a reminder of Prague’s past. It is a place where literary giants and scientific minds once gathered. Take a moment to appreciate the history held within these walls.