U Fleků Brewery

The buildings in front of you have been brewing beer since 1499. Over 525 years without stopping. Not through wars, fires, or communist rule. But that night was different. The communist government announced a brutal currency devaluation taking effect at midnight. People's savings would become worthless overnight. Thousands rushed to spend everything before the clock struck twelve. Many came here. The kegs emptied. For the first time in centuries, U Fleků had nothing left to pour. The brewery takes its name from Jakub Flekovský, who bought it in 1762. It switched from brewing ale to its signature dark lager in 1843. That same recipe is still used. The beer takes 40 days to brew and you can only get it here. The complex wraps around a central courtyard. Inside are 8 historic halls that seat 1,200 people, making this the largest restaurant in the country. It started as a single building, just 2 stories high. Only 2 brewers work here, making around 6,000 liters per week. The copper vats date from 1937. The ceiling above them from the 1360s.