overview admission programme about the place A picturesque view of the Lesser Town's buildings and square is the reward for climbing 215 steps to the 65-metre high viewing gallery of the tower adjacent to the Baroque Church of St Nicholas. The bell tower from 1755, which also served as a fire watchtower, was the last town crier's tower in Prague. From the 1960s to the 1980s it served as an observation post for the State Security Service for monitoring the Western embassies located in the surrounding area. admission basic 200 CZK reduced The reduced admission fee is intended for children aged 6—15, seniors over 65, and holders of disability identification card ZTP. 130 CZK family The family ticket is valid for 2 adults and up to 4 children 400 CZK Reduced admission for youth 16—26 years old: CZK 160 Children up to 5 years of age are admitted free of charge. Persons with a ZTP/P card are admitted free of charge with 1 accompanying person. Early Bird Discount initiative: 50% off the admission fee every day during the first hour after opening Lítačka card holder: CZK 180 9 Prague Sights in 365 Days Ticket adults: CZK 990 reduced: CZK 690 Tip — Get a discount of CZK 50 on the historical tram line 42 ticket when you present your ticket from one of the towers managed by Prague City Tourism a.s. (valid only on the day of your visit; does not apply to group school tickets, tickets from lecture programs and special PCT events). The discount applies only to tickets purchased directly in the historical tram line 42. Card payment only. The discount also applies to each person under a family ticket. You can also get a 20% discount on entry to one of the towers managed by Prague City Tourism a.s. on the day of your ride when you present your historical tram line 42 ticket (does not apply to 9 Prague Sights in 365 Days Ticket). Combi-ticket Baroque Gems of Malá Strana (April—October): St Nicholas Bell Tower + Mozart Interactive Museum + Vrtba Garden adults: CZK 550 reduced: CZK 390 family: CZK 1370 Combi-ticket Baroque Gems of Malá Strana (November—March): St Nicholas Bell Tower + Mozart Interactive Museum adults: CZK 450 reduced: CZK 320 family: CZK 1100 more about admission accessibility The building is not barrier-free. admission basic 200 CZK reduced The reduced admission fee is intended for children aged 6—15, seniors over 65, and holders of disability identification card ZTP. 130 CZK family The family ticket is valid for 2 adults and up to 4 children 400 CZK Reduced admission for youth 16—26 years old: CZK 160 Children up to 5 years of age are admitted free of charge. Persons with a ZTP/P card are admitted free of charge with 1 accompanying person. Early Bird Discount initiative: 50% off the admission fee every day during the first hour after opening Lítačka card holder: CZK 180 9 Prague Sights in 365 Days Ticket adults: CZK 990 reduced: CZK 690 Tip — Get a discount of CZK 50 on the historical tram line 42 ticket when you present your ticket from one of the towers managed by Prague City Tourism a.s. (valid only on the day of your visit; does not apply to group school tickets, tickets from lecture programs and special PCT events). The discount applies only to tickets purchased directly in the historical tram line 42. Card payment only. The discount also applies to each person under a family ticket. You can also get a 20% discount on entry to one of the towers managed by Prague City Tourism a.s. on the day of your ride when you present your historical tram line 42 ticket (does not apply to 9 Prague Sights in 365 Days Ticket). Combi-ticket Baroque Gems of Malá Strana (April—October): St Nicholas Bell Tower + Mozart Interactive Museum + Vrtba Garden adults: CZK 550 reduced: CZK 390 family: CZK 1370 Combi-ticket Baroque Gems of Malá Strana (November—March): St Nicholas Bell Tower + Mozart Interactive Museum adults: CZK 450 reduced: CZK 320 family: CZK 1100 complete price list of admission tours The tower houses a permanent exhibition entitled Custos Turris / City Watch. Visitors can see the lodgings of the Tower watchman from the latter 18th century complete with a ‘black kitchen’ — the only accessible one of its kind in Prague. Adjacent to this is the town crier’s room — where the watchman did his duty. visitor rules exhibitions Custos Turris / City Watch St Nicholas Bell Tower exhibitions State Security Observation Post Kajka St Nicholas Bell Tower history The Baroque bell-tower, which also served as a fire alarm and clock tower, was built together with the Church of St Nicholas. The building, which replaced the earlier Gothic town bell-tower, was designed and built by the influential architect Kilián lgnác Dientzenhofer. His pupil and son-in-law Anselmo Lurago only modified a portion of the interiors. The tower was built in 1739. It was not fully completed until 1755. Two years later, the building was damaged, during the Prussian siege of Prague. Although at first glance it may seem that the tower belongs with the church of St Nicholas, it was never an ecclesiastical property, but always a secular municipal property of the Lesser Town of Prague. The height of the tower is the same as the height of the adjacent church dome — 79m, the gallery is 65m off the ground, 215 steps up. Running up the entire solid construction is a spiral staircase, mostly brick, timber-framed only in the uppermost section. In addition to the staircase and roof truss, the building also comprises several rooms, serving as the towerman’s abode and office. Among the interesting aspects of this important monument are the singular black kitchen (the only accessible one in Prague), the Baroque sewer system and the bell of St Nicholas dating from 1576. Starting in the 1960s, true to the then regime’s practices, the tower came to stand for something else — being a secret police observation centre, for monitoring the surrounding embassies (notably the American, German and British ones). In the tower, visitors will get acquainted with the demanding life of the towermen — the city’s sentries, the history of the building and the misuse of the monument during the Communist.