U Nikolajky, Prague 5
Most of inhabitants of Prague know Nikolajka as an ice arena, but hardly anyone knows it as an historic homestead! We can get there by turning right immediately after the ice arena, going through a small park and then we see it! The homestead was called Nikolajka not after some Russian hero, as it might appear due to the Russian influence at the time of the National Revival, but after its first owner, lawyer JUDr. Antonín František Nikolai. Another theory says that the homestead was called after the traveller Nikolaj who lived in the 17th century in hillsides above the nowadays ice arena. In the 18th century the homestead was totally rebuilt and acquired its present late classicist facade in year 1860. If you managed to get into its garden, you could see a chapel with a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary standing in a niche. Nikolajka is lucky to be protected as a historic building so it keeps even after reconstruction, when used for living, its old design. It must be very romantic to live here. Who would be so lucky to live in this small chateau?
https://www.prahaneznama.cz/jine-zajimavosti/nikolajka-bydleni-na-zamecku/
https://www.prahaneznama.cz/praha-5/smichov/u-nikolajky/
apartment card (plan view) to download
photo from the year 1936
