Šalamounka

Šalamounka is a late neoclassical homestead on the edge of Prague's Košíře district, a quiet reminder of the vineyards and farming life that once shaped this part of the city's outskirts. Surrounded today by urban development, the site's roots stretch back to the Middle Ages, when winemaking defined this corner of Prague.

Where does the name Šalamounka come from?

The land on which the homestead stands was known in the 15th century as the Randlíkovská vineyard. In 1439, Jan Mandinec of Malá Strana bought it and renamed it Mandincová. Ownership changed hands several times over the following centuries until 1681, when the estate was purchased by Václav Mořic Salomon von Friedberg. His surname gave the place its lasting name, with "Salomonka" gradually evolving into "Šalamounka." The vineyard grew larger over the following decades as neighboring plots were merged into it, though wars in the 1740s caused serious damage to the property.

What did the neoclassical homestead look like?

The farm buildings in their current neoclassical form date from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The estate served as a private residence until the 1960s, when it passed into the hands of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. Most of the original structures were demolished in the 1980s, and only fragments of the historic complex survive today.

What can visitors find at Šalamounka now?

After 1989, the site was taken over by the Harley-Davidson Club Prague and Harley Davidson ČR. For more than thirty years, Šalamounka has served as a gathering place for Harley enthusiasts, hosting the Harley Owners Group Praha Chapter. The grounds are also home to the Big Shock Racing car rental company and the Modrokuk bar. The address is U Šalamounky 769/41, and the property remains privately owned.

Why does Šalamounka's history matter?

Šalamounka is one of the few surviving traces of Košíře's winemaking past, a district that relied heavily on vineyards for centuries. While little of the original architecture remains standing, the name and location still point back to a long history of medieval vineyards and successive noble owners.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the name Šalamounka come from? From Václav Mořic Salomon von Friedberg, who bought the estate in 1681.

Have the original homestead buildings survived? Not fully — most were demolished in the 1980s, leaving only remnants of the original complex.

What is Šalamounka used for today? It houses the Harley-Davidson Club Prague and the Harley Owners Group Praha Chapter, alongside the Big Shock Racing car rental company and the Modrokuk bar.

Where exactly is Šalamounka located? On the edge of Prague's Košíře district, at U Šalamounky 769/41.