Skalka (homestead)

Skalka is a Baroque homestead in Prague's Smíchov district, sitting on a small rocky hill that gave the site its name. Today it's an abandoned, crumbling estate whose future has been the subject of a long-running dispute.

How to get to Skalka?

The homestead stands in Prague 5-Smíchov, close to Plzeňská třída, on a hilltop that offers views toward Košíře. A sports complex with a rugby pitch sits next to the former farmstead grounds. The nearest public transport stop, Klikovka, is less than 200 metres away, making the site easy to reach by tram, bus, or car. A nearby street, Pod Skalkou, running below the hill, also takes its name from the homestead.

Where does the name Skalka come from?

The site's history goes back to the 14th century, when three small vineyards — known as Klamperna, Kovářská and Stará — existed here. In 1599, Dorota Skálová merged these plots into a single vineyard estate, and the property later took its name from her surname. The buildings visible today, however, date from much later: the Baroque homestead complex as it stands now took shape only at the end of the 18th century.

What can you see on site today?

The estate consisted of a two-storey residential house and three farm buildings arranged around a courtyard. The whole complex was enclosed by a wall with a Baroque gate, and a small park adjoined the buildings. During the 19th century, the property belonged to the Renner family, physicians who also owned other real estate in this part of Smíchov. In the early 1960s, the façade was altered in a way that erased much of the building's original Baroque character. Since 1964, the homestead has been listed as a protected monument, but that legal status has not stopped its physical decline — after a period of residential use, the buildings fell into disrepair. The site is now closed to visitors, parts of the structures have partially collapsed, and the surrounding park is overgrown and neglected; local accounts suggest the empty buildings have at times been used by homeless people.

The dispute over the site's future

Since 2005, the future of the homestead has been contested. A developer, the company Les Marrons, has proposed building two new modern residential blocks next to the protected ruin, as part of a larger project marketed as Skalka Praha 5. The plan has drawn opposition from some Prague 5 councillors and residents, who worry that new construction would compromise the character of the historic complex — while the homestead itself, despite the developer's stated plans to secure it, is still waiting for genuine restoration work. The matter remains unresolved, and the monument's physical condition keeps worsening year by year.

When to visit?

Because Skalka is closed on the inside and sits on partly fenced, private grounds, it's best treated as a stop on a walk through the neighbourhood — taking in the wall, the gate, and the outline of the buildings from outside, along with the view from the hill. Warmer months are the best time to come, when longer days make it easy to combine a walk through Smíchov with a visit to nearby green spaces and viewpoints looking toward Košíře.

Frequently asked questions

What is Skalka in Prague? It's a Baroque homestead in Smíchov — a former estate with a residential house, farm buildings, a courtyard and a park — now abandoned and protected as a cultural monument.

Where does the name Skalka come from? The name comes from Dorota Skálová, who in 1599 merged three vineyards that had existed on the site since the 14th century into a single estate.

Can Skalka be visited? No, the site is closed to the public — the buildings are in poor structural condition, and it can only be viewed from the outside.

Why is there a dispute over Skalka? Since 2005, a developer has planned to build new residential blocks next to the protected ruin, a proposal opposed by some Prague 5 residents and councillors concerned about the fate of the historic estate.