This Year’s Pride Highlights LGBT Landmarks in Prague

The 2016 Prague Pride festival kicks off on August 7 with much for the LGBT community to celebrate this year, especially after the recent annulment of a provision that banned same-sex partners from adopting children.

As the festival looks to a more tolerant future with its usual revelry and colorful workshops, films, performances, and Sunday parade, this year also sees a look back at the history of gay culture in Prague with a set of English-friendly walking tours.

Czech artist Toyen was born in Smíchov

One of them is organized by Prague4gay, a tour company founded by cultural anthropologist Petr Prokopik who says that gay history in Prague began with the 1932 publication of the magazines “The Voice of Sexual Minority” and “The New Voice” which first reported on the homosexual community.

Allen Ginsberg in Prague, 1965

A host of influential Czech LGBT figures—including surrealist artist Toyen whose birthplace is an important Prague landmark, and gay Holocaust hero Fredy Hirsch—will play a role in another tour organized by the Center of Queer Memory and covering gay life during the belle époque, interwar period, Nazi occupation, and Communist regime.

Karlovy Lazně / Wikpedia: ŠJů

Upon doing a little digging, and with help from the Czech book Teplá Praha by historian Jan Seidl who will lead the second in the series of Pride tours, we uncovered some other Prague sites with a connection to the LGBT community:

-The area around Náměstí Republiky was significant as a site of gay cruising as early as 1902, particularly near the public urinals (public WC U Rotta near what is now Hard Rock Cafe was also a popular gay pick-up spot.)

Kafírna U Českého pána / Photo: Facebook

-Karlovy Lazně near Charles Bridge was an elegant spa in 1925 with separate baths for men and women. Closeted actors, artists, and dancers frequented its nooks and crannies for secret same-sex trysts.

New Town Hall / Photo: www.nrpraha.cz

-Both still in operation today, Kafírna U Českého pánaand Bar U Staré paní in Old Town are historic LGBT sites known for their early accomomdation of the gay community.

To explore these locations and others in more depth, attend the LGBTQ Tour of Prague History, Culture and Architecture which takes place on August 12 with the 250 CZK admission going towards Prague Pride or the Prague Queer Heritage tour which takes place on August 14. Admission is voluntary.