“A curious blend of old and new that’s what the Nove dekanstvi is”. That’s what I thought as I first saw it. This isn’t just any building. It’s the New Provostry a testament to Prague’s rich history.
The Nove dekanstvi stands proudly in Vyšehrad a historic district overlooking the Vltava River. Its construction followed the completion of two canonry residences. The initial plans by architect Zahorský were rejected. The chapter deemed his design too ornate. They wanted something less extravagant.
Finally in 1873 Jan Ripota František Novák and Antonín Chittusi created new plans. These were based on a ground plan by Canon František Kočí. Master builder František Novák from Opatovice implemented the design between 1877 and 1878. The chapter’s coat of arms was added in 1884.
Novák wasn’t just any builder. He constructed several houses in Vyšehrad some from his own designs others based on Josef Niklas’s blueprints. He also built the nearby capitular residence. Imagine the amount of work involved in constructing such grand buildings in those days.
The Nove dekanstvi is a two-story free-standing house. It features a front garden enclosed by an iron fence. The back garden is partially a vineyard. The building’s neo-Gothic style is striking. Its central section rises to a stepped gable. Blind arched recesses add a unique flair. The main entrance boasts a double-leaf door. Above it is a beautiful rosette.
The interior layout is a four-quadrant arrangement. A central corridor runs through the building. Rooms branch off from this corridor. A two-flight staircase is located in the rear section. Above the staircase is a relief depicting the Last Judgment. The ground floor features barrel vaults. The upper floor has flat ceilings.
Today the Nove dekanstvi serves as the seat of the Vyšehrad Chapter. It stands as a reminder of Prague’s architectural and religious past. A building that seemingly defies expectations. It blends the chapter’s desire for restraint with the bold neo-Gothic aesthetic of the final design. A captivating piece of Prague’s history. A truly unique building.