The narrowest alley in Prague is actually not a street. It is a narrow nameless walkway with steps, sandwiched between two buildings off U Lužického semináře street near Charles Bridge. It connects the main street with the Čertovka Restaurant and the canal (Čertovka = Devil’s Canal/Prague Venice).
It has never been used as a normal street, it is more like a walkway leading towards the river between the two houses. It was actually created as a safety measure: to disconnect (partly) wooden buildings so that fire would not spread so quickly, and as a fire exit towards the river. There used to be many “fire lanes“ in the old times; this one dates from the beginning of the 16th century, the only one left in the Lesser Quarter. So even if you find it disappointing because it is too touristy, it is unique in that respect.
The house with the restaurant is very old too, even though most of the current building from the beginning of the 17th century. There used to be a forge and a carpenter’s workshop inside, where mill wheels were also repaired. The houses near and above the Čertovka formed the outskirts of the Lesser Quarter where craftsmen worked and ordinary people lived.
Surprisingly, the traffic light was only installed between the two houses in 1990s. The purpose was obvious — to regulate ‘the traffic’. So it was not a marketing gimmick of the restaurant owners, but something ordered by the municipal authorities as a safety precaution. The lane is only 50-70 cm wide, so two people cannot pass each other when coming from opposite directions. Please watch carefully to see if it is safe to enter, as some visitors may not be patient or respectful enough to let you pass, even when the light is green. Remember to press the button on either end to signal that you want to enter.
Since waiting in two queues demands a decent level of patience, we have a trick to help you. Do not join the queue on the way there. Instead, simply turn round the corner and follow the street to the right of Franz Kafka Museum towards the river (near the Pedal Car Museum). You can then enter through the metal gate and only queue for the green light on your way back. To avoid long queues, arrive about twenty minutes before opening time or towards the closing time. Also, check the restaurant’s opening hours so that you can enter, whether from the street or the river bank (both locked otherwise). The restaurant is often closed until noon, after midnight, or for several weeks in winter.
Although it is not technically a street, the alley is quite charming. Or you could go for a stroll elsewhere and enjoy many other narrow or winding streets that Prague has to offer, for example near the Old Town Square or in the Castle District/Hradčany. You will also find beautiful streets and squares about ten minutes from this alley, near the Lennon Wall.
