The 65m-tall Powder Gate was begun in 1475 on the site of one of Staré Město’s original 13 gates. The tower above the arch houses exhibitions of medieval weapons and instruments, many of which were used in films shot in Prague, including Van Helsing, Chronicles of Narnia and Blade II, but the main attraction is the view from the top.
The gate was built during the reign of King Vladislav II Jagiello as a ceremonial entrance to the city, but was left unfinished after the king moved from the neighbouring Royal Court to Prague Castle in 1483. The name comes from its use as a gunpowder magazine in the 18th century. Josef Mocker rebuilt and decorated it and put up a steeple between 1875 and 1886, giving it its neo-Gothic icing.
