Italská 1219/2: Hlavovka

Built by Otakar Bureš to a design by Josef Pospíšil, this neo-baroque palace of 1903 is nowadays a bank. But at one time it was the home of the celebrated ‘Hlavovka’ cafe, a favourite hanut of artists and writers in the Vinohrady district of Prague.

In imitation of Italian baroque, a pair of gigantic marble telamones support the frame of its palatial doorway. The extravagance of the entrance is in keeping with the style of the building as a whole, a view of which from the adjacent street can be seen here.