Velký mlýn

Velký mlýn is a historic watermill in Prague's Libeň district, standing right next to the former Libeň Château in the green surroundings of Thomayer Park. Since the 1990s the building has belonged to the Prague 8 municipal district, and since July 2023 it has housed a branch of the Prague Municipal Library along with a café — one of the city's more interesting examples of a successfully revived industrial monument.

Where in Prague is Velký mlýn?

The mill stands on U Českých loděnic street, just west of the former Libeň Château, right next to the Rokytka stream. It's a quiet, green corner of Prague 8, well away from the bustle of the city centre but easy to reach from the rest of Prague. The site's coordinates are 50.1075 N, 14.4692 E.

What is the history behind this mill?

The first written mention of a mill in Libeň dates back to 1595. By 1720 it was recorded as "mlejn velký panský" (the great manor mill), and the estate at the time also included a sawmill and production buildings. The building took on its current Baroque form during the 18th century, with the southern façade reworked again at the end of the 19th century.

The turning point came in 1872, when the Vltava riverbed was regulated. The branch of the river that had fed the mill dried up, and milling operations came to an end. In 1883 the buildings were bought by a baker, Jáchym Löwit, and the mill became known from then on as Löwitův mlýn (Löwit's Mill). In 1906 the property passed into the ownership of the City of Prague.

Over the following decades the building was put to a string of different uses: in the 1950s it served as a potato store, and from 1969 it was used by the S. K. Neumann Theatre for storing props and sets — a period during which the structure steadily deteriorated. In 1993 the Prague 8 district took over its administration, and in 2000 a thorough reconstruction was carried out. Just two years later, in 2002, the mill was badly damaged by the great Prague flood and stood empty for years afterwards, waiting for a new purpose.

How did the mill come back to life?

The turnaround came with the "Zastavení ve mlýně" project, carried out between 2021 and 2023 by the Velký mlýn Association together with the Prague Municipal Library and Czech Radio. The goal was to give the building back a public function and open it permanently to residents. In July 2023 an unusual branch of the city library and a café opened inside the former mill.

What can visitors do at Velký mlýn today?

The building now works as a multipurpose cultural and community hub. It hosts concerts, neighbourhood meetings, lectures, theatre performances and exhibitions, with its atmospheric interior — a large hall topped by a wooden beam ceiling resting on carved wooden columns — providing an unusual setting for events. Several outbuildings have also survived, including a barn decorated with a classicist sun motif on its gates. In summer, the café courtyard is open to visitors.

Velký mlýn is registered as a protected cultural monument (kulturní památka), reflecting its historical and architectural value to Prague.

Frequently asked questions

What is Velký mlýn? A former watermill in Prague's Libeň district, first documented in 1595 and today converted into a library branch and café.

Where does the name Löwitův mlýn come from? From baker Jáchym Löwit, who bought the building in 1883.

Can you visit the mill today? Yes — it houses a branch of the Prague Municipal Library and a café, and the space is also used for concerts and exhibitions; access to individual areas depends on the season and the events schedule.

Why did the mill stop operating? After the Vltava riverbed was regulated in 1872, the branch of the river that fed the mill dried up and milling came to a permanent end.