Every day after 4 p.m., along the historical streets of the Royal Route and around Old Town Square you can witness the time-honoured spectacle of the lamplighter lighting up the lanterns while being attired in jerkin, top hat and holding a pole in his hand. If you are interested, you can even try to light up your own lantern.

“This year we introduced gas lamps also to Mostecká and Malostranská Streets. The romantic ambience of Prague is now enhanced by more than 500 lamps. Next year we want to add Neruda Street and following the completion of the renovation works on Charles Bridge, we would like to light this famous monument also,” Deputy Mayor Pavel Klega pointd out. “Unfortunately, we have to postpone our plan to illuminate Hradčanské Square by gas lamps, because we didn’t manage to collect the necessary funds due to lower tax incomes caused by the current financial crisis. Additionally, we are considering illuminating the Castle Steps, the street Na Kampě and Velkopřevorské Square.

Should we introduce gas lamps into additional areas, this would happen only with the approval of preservationists and in a way that wouldn’t disturb tourism,” said Klega.

Town gas first started to be used for public lighting in 1847, when the Karlín Gasworks was opened. It was then that the first 200 gas lamps illuminated Prague for the first time. At the turn of the 20th century, they were gradually edged out by electric lighting. The eight-arm masts on Hradčany Square and in Loretánska Street were the final ones to be converted to electricity at the end of April 1985.  However, like the hare and tortoise race, in the end nostalgia surpassed technology and Prague has been gradually re-introducing gas lamps to its streets ever since 2002.

“Currently the capital city is illuminated by more than 500 gas lamps. Most of them are shining in Celetna and Rytířska Street, but people can also see them in the streets Melantrichova, Karlova, Jilská, Železná, Hlavsova, on Old Town Square and Small Square and at the Fruit Market. By its endeavour to re-introduce gas lamps in the historical centre, Prague has joined other ancient and prominent European metropolises.  It is the west part of Berlin that boasts the highest number of gas lamps, almost 4,000; in fact the city never completely stopped using them. Apart from Berlin, gas illuminates also Dresden, Leipzig, and the area in front of Buckingham Palace in London, Dublin, Zagreb, Cracow and EuroDisney Park.

Source: Praha.eu