The town of Slaný had 4 gates in the Middle Ages, only one has survived - the Velvary Gate. The other 3 were demolished in the 19th century (Louny Gate 1835, Prague Gate 1841, Všehlušice Gate 1850).
"The Velvar Gate is part of the former medieval fortifications of the town of Slaný, the only surviving gate in the town. It stands a few dozen steps north of the historic Masaryk Square in Slaný.
It is not known exactly when the Velvar Gate was built, the first written records of it date from 1443. The relief inscription under the window of the second floor of the south facade of the tower relating to the beginnings of the tower reminds that it was built under Aleš (Krejcí) and Václav Novinky, councilors of Slaný.
During the reign of George of Podebrady, it was repaired and given the designation "New Gate". On its southern wall, the year 1461 has been preserved from this period.
Originally, the gate also had overhanging walls with battlements, a bastion and a bridge over the moat. During the 16th century, the gate was damaged several times by fires in the city. In 1795, among other things, the nearby town hall burned down, from which a bell from 1514 was transferred to the gate. It was used to ring an alarm and also to convicts who were taken to the execution site by the gate.
The gate gradually lost its significance for the defense of the city. In connection with this, in the years 1823 to 1824, the front gate was demolished during the construction of the road to Litomerice, and a similar fate was almost encountered by the gate itself. However, this did not happen in the end; instead, it was repaired in 1868. A copper cock was placed on top of the roof, which can still be seen here.
The total height of the gate is 38 meters, the floor plan measures about 9 x 8 meters. Above the passage on the north side is a carved city emblem and the emblems of six city guilds. The original stone markers are clearly visible on many stones. The museum houses the museum of the history of the city and its fortifications."
Source: (
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Text on the plaque located in the Velvary gate:
Velvarská brána
The Velvary Gate
Jediná dochovaná brána
stredovekého opevnení
královského mesta Slaného
byla vystavena kolem r. 1450.
K jejímu pocátku se vztahuje
reliéfní nápis v kameni pod
oknem druhého patra jižního
prucelí. Text pripomíná, že
brána byla vystavena za
Aleše (Krejcího) a Václava
Novinky. Oba byli dlouho-
letými slánskými konšely.
Bránu zdobí heraldická
symbolika - na strane
k námestí dva zemské znaky,
na severní strane pod
znakem mesta Slaného
a dalším neurceným erbem
rada erbovních znamení
slánských cechu.
The Velvary Gate
The only surviving gate
medieval fortifications
of the royal town of Slaný
was built around 1450.
It relates to its beginning
embossed inscription in stone below
through the window of the second floor of the south
front. The text recalls that
the gate was built behind
Aleš (Krejcí) and Václav
Novinka. Both were longyears
of the Slaný councilors.
The gate is decorated with heraldic
symbolism - on the side
to the square two provincial emblems,
on the north side below
emblem of the town of Slaný
and another unspecified coat of arms
series of coat of arms signs
salt guilds.