Prague - House U Hrbků

The house used to stand on the site of the side right of the St. Vitus Chapter in Újezd. The site was undoubtedly already built up at the end of the 15th century, but the site was not built up for sure until 1616. The then owner Jan Hrbek sold the house in 1623. In 1677, the house was sold to the owner of the neighbouring house (today no. 439/III), with which it was also structurally connected. The two houses probably underwent some reconstruction and perhaps even structural unification between 1681 and 1700. In the descriptions of 1723-1726 the house was still listed as a single-storey house with two small flats on the first floor.

The original, again separate part was acquired in these years for 900 gold rhinestones by Heinrich Dientzenhofer, a licentiate of law and brewer in his own house "U Flavínů" (no. 36/III, Malostranské náměstí 36/22) and brother of Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, according to whose statement the house was in ruins.

The reconstruction of the house probably began in 1725 and was completed before 1731. Not much of the original Renaissance house has survived.

Another reconstruction took place in 1810, when a new pavilion was added and the internal layout of the house was slightly modified. The street façade was probably also modified.

The two-storey house is situated on a large plot of land that extends beyond the adjacent No. 439. The street frontage with five window axes is classical (probably before 1814). The middle three axes are shallowly marked by a bay, the ground floor lacks banding. The windows lack tracery. The central entrance is framed by an early classical lining. Interesting is the unusually shaped crown cornice, which is undoubtedly a remnant of Dientzenhofer's design.

The courtyard façade retains more of Dientzenhofer's architectural design. However, not much of the decorative elements have survived.

The façade is now complemented by a classical pavilion with railings.

The ground floor was newly vaulted as part of the Baroque reconstruction. The building is divided by a central passageway, with larger, longitudinally arranged rooms in the alleyway to the left and right. The first and second floors repeat the layout of the ground floor, only the central corridor is missing.

The house has been renovated and is used as a residential building.

The house is also known as the House of the Black Sun, In the White House or The Waxers' House.