History of ristorante-pizzeria

GENIUS LOCI

Genius loci is not a person or a living creature, nor inanimate substance either of fluid or solid state. But it is not a fiction or fable either.

It just exists.

Genius loci comes to existence when we grasp the uniqueness of a certain place either for its beauty, if we are able to perceive it, or for its historical context, if we are able to realize it…

A new  Italian ristorante – pizzeria LA SCALA – has been opened in the close vicinity of the Old Town Square next to Celetná Street and the Týn Church.

Ristorante – pizzeria LA SCALA in the Týn’s Parish will certainly engross your attention both by its interesting interior design and by its excellent Italian cuisine.

The name of the restaurant was borrowed from Italian  (la scala = stairs) and the choice we made was deliberate. The name, however, doesn’t refer to the renowned Italian opera-house as it might seem, but to the dominant feature of the restaurant itself – to the impressive stone staircase, down which you go from the entrance area to the main part of the dive.
Ristorante – pizzeria LA SCALA is situated in the ground-floor rooms and in the cellars of Týn’s Parish next to the Týn Church in Štupartská Street.

The first mention of today’s Týn’s Parish building dates back to the beginning of the 12th century, when it functioned as an infirmary of Vyšehrad’s Chapter House. Even at that time, the building had a similar purpose as now; the infirmary did not only grant asylum and provided treatment, but also offered refreshment to wayfarers…

The premises, in which the restaurant is situated now, had been used as stores and cellars in the past. In the 1930’s, they were leased out to the wine company of the Troníčeks‘ brothers. The entrance door and a brick bath-tub in the cellar used for washing wine bottles (which, however, had to give way to a new, modern kitchen) have been preserved in the building since then.

The premises were used for the last time as a rear area and cloakrooms during the long-time reconstruction of the Church between 1973 and 1995 or as a restauration shop for the reconstruction of the Týn Church’s interior until 2002.

The architectonic design of the present reconstruction displays precious historic values of the building, as well as the “genius loci” of this exceptional locality and expresses a maximum respect to the preserved elements of the period. The aim of the reconstruction was to revive the cultural “stamp” of the building, which had been damaged by insensitive interference of previous design modifications, and to create pleasant atmosphere for our guests.

It is now up to you to judge if we have achieved the goal successfully. As a result, we hope that we will welcome you as guests in our ristorante – pizzeria LA SCALA soon.

In November 2003 at the 85th anniversary of the Marian Column’s pulling-off (November 3rd, 1918), the Society for the Reconstruction of the Marian Column raised a replica of the Immaculate Virgin Mary statue (a part of the Marian Column itself) next to the entrance to ristorante – pizzeria LA SCALA .