Josef Mocker and Prague's Medieval Landscape (1872-1899)

The reconstructions that architect Josef Mocker (1835-99) carried out between 1872 and 1899 in Prague have greatly shaped our understanding of what the medieval city was like. Mocker became the most important representative of the Czech Gothic Revival thanks of his position as master builder of Prague Cathedral. Apart from his work at the cathedral, he dealt with about fifteen other Prague buildings, among them eleven secular buildings or rooms that were preserved for posterity by being reconstructed, or by being recorded before being demolished during the modernisation of Prague and the improvement of sanitary conditions in the city. The less well-known part of Mocker's work relates to five secular buildings in Prague and includes the Vladislav Hall in Prague Castle. In 1863-64, Mocker studied in Vienna with the Austrian architect Friedrich Schmidt, of whose principles be became aware while preparing (1866) and then leading the reconstruction of Karlstein Castle (from 1887).