King's Court

Sometime around 1380 the Czech and Roman-German King Wenceslas IV (son of Charles IV) build the King's Court (Králův dvůr), which then became the seat of Czech kings (1383-1484). In addition to the royal residence there was also beautiful garden, houses of courtiers, spa and extensive lion facility. Wenceslas IV relocated here in 1382 (or 1383) - also with lions from the Prague Castle and their keeper (then called lvář = something like lioners) Matěj.

A breeding of lions was the common denominator of many Czech kings - the first written evidence of lions breeding in the Czech lands is from 1280. Back then a Venetian contractor was dunning Wenceslas II of Bohemia for payment the debt for a couple of lions, which ordered the Queen Mother Kunigunda of Slavonia (widow of Ottokar II of Bohemia). However lions were kept by the Czech rulers surely sooner. They are an official symbol of Czech kings since the 13th century.

However in contrast to previous rulers, Wenceslas IV didn't keep only lions - in the Royal's court there were bred also many other carnivores (probably tigers, leopards, bears and perhaps also eagles). By order of the king, it had to be brought a fresh meat of best quality daily. This menagerie at the Royal's Court served apparently during the entire time when it was the seat of kings, ie. until the 1484. The last written record is from 1477, when the lion (who apparently escaped) bit and killed a small child in Prague.

The Royal's Court was located at the place of today's Municipal House (Obecní dům).