Úřad městské části Praha-Kunratice

Úřad městské části Praha-Kunratice is the local government office of one of Prague's municipal districts, located on K Libuši street in Kunratice, at the southern edge of Prague 4. While not a conventional sightseeing stop, the building and its surroundings — the Kunratice cemetery and the entrance to Kunratický les (Kunratice Forest) — are worth knowing about for anyone curious about how Prague's outer districts came to be.

Where does Kunratice come from?

Kunratice first appears in written sources in 1287, described as a village with a fortified stronghold then called Chunratitz. A further record from 1336 mentions the Kunratice tvrz (fortified manor), owned by Frenclin, son of Jakub of the Olbramovic family, a courtier of King John of Luxembourg. For centuries Kunratice remained an independent village south of Prague, keeping its own identity despite the growing capital nearby.

Everything changed in the 20th century: on January 1, 1968, the municipality of Kunratice u Prahy was annexed to Prague and incorporated into Prague 4. Despite being absorbed by the metropolis, the settlement kept its own local national committee — a local self-governing body that continued to function until 1990.

How did the self-governing office come about?

Real administrative autonomy returned to Kunratice amid the political changes at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. The self-governing municipal district of Praha-Kunratice was formally established on November 24, 1990, under Czech National Council Act No. 418/1990 Sb. on the Capital City of Prague, passed on October 9 of that year. From then on, Kunratice has functioned as one of Prague's self-governing districts, with its own office, council, and mayor.

Today, the position and powers of the Úřad městské části Praha-Kunratice are governed by Act No. 131/2000 Sb. on the Capital City of Prague and by the Statute of the Capital City of Prague, issued through generally binding decree No. 55/2000 Sb. The office's structure consists of the mayor, deputy mayors, the office secretary, and district employees assigned to individual departments.

What's inside the building and around it?

The office is located at K Libuši 7, right next to the Kunratice cemetery and just steps from the entrance to the sprawling Kunratický les, one of the favorite recreational areas for residents of southern Prague. In recent years the building underwent reconstruction and expansion, one of the district's larger municipal investments. The building itself isn't a historic monument in the architectural sense, but it functions as the hub of public life in Kunratice — the place where administrative matters are handled and where the district council holds its sessions.

The office serves the public on weekdays: Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:30, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 14:30, and Fridays only until noon, with Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday limited to an information desk only.

Why is the surrounding area worth a look?

The office building itself isn't a destination, but its location is a solid starting point for exploring southern Prague. From here it's a short walk to Kunratický les, an extensive forest-and-park complex with a network of walking and cycling paths, as well as to the historic Kunratice tvrz and the nearby castle ruins, witnesses to the district's earliest history. This mix of modern local administration and centuries-old heritage makes Kunratice — rarely visited by foreign tourists — an authentic glimpse of a genuine Prague suburb.

Frequently asked questions

What is Úřad městské části Praha-Kunratice? It is the local government office of the Praha-Kunratice district, housing the mayor's office, district council, and local administration within the structure of the Capital City of Prague.

Since when has Kunratice been a self-governing Prague district? The self-governing municipal district was established on November 24, 1990, under Act No. 418/1990 Sb., although the settlement itself had already been annexed to Prague in 1968.

Where exactly is the office located? At K Libuši 7 in Prague 4, next to the Kunratice cemetery and the entrance to Kunratický les.

Is the area around the office worth visiting as a tourist? The building itself isn't a tourist attraction, but the surrounding area — Kunratický les and the historic Kunratice tvrz — makes for an interesting walk for anyone exploring Prague's lesser-visited districts.