Podskalí Customs House at Výtoň

Besides the Church of Saint Cosmas and Damian, the Podskalí Customs House at Výtoň is the last preserved part of the old-time Podskalí settlement that existed in the area of today's Prague Rašín embankment from the 12th century. Its inhabitants had later a monopoly on trade with wood that was brought to Prague on the Vltava River via floats. The name Výtoň comes from the name of an old-time institution that collected toll from wood brought on floats to the Prague market. Today's Gothic building of the customs house comes from the 16th century. It is timbered from a greater part and plastered. It also served as an inn and hostel for wood farers. Nowadays, people can learn about the history of the extinct Podskalí area in the customs house and not only through a model that depicts Podskalí as it looked around 1870. The doom of Podskalí occurred between 1905 and 1914, when the embankment and Vyšehrad tunnel were built and old houses and enclosures with wood were torn down. In their place, modern apartment buildings were built. The appearance of non-existing Podskalí is also captured in displayed historical photographs. Also various tools or cash boxes from the Výtoň customs house are on display. Freight shipping on the Vltava is presented through various models, drawings and photographs documenting the construction of wooden ships. The Podskalí customs house is open from Tuesday till Sunday from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. The Podskalí Customs House is a part of the Museum of the Capital City of Prague.

Rašínovo nábřeží 412, Praha 2, +420 224 919 833, www.muzeumprahy.cz