“From ‘Venice’ to ‘Jerusalem’ and Beyond: The Topography of Prostitution in Fourteenth-Century Prague”
David Mengel

Prague’s topography underwent dramatic changes in the later fourteenth-century.  The Holy Roman Emperor (whose capital was Prague) oversaw the construction of a new cathedral as well as of new religious houses and parish churches.  Vastly expanded city walls transformed sparsely populated suburbs into a booming New Town, making Prague one of the largest urban areas in Europe.

At the same time, Prague’s topography of commercial sex changed.  Visitation records from 1379-1380 allow the mapping of Prague’s brothels.  This paper will focus upon one of the city’s most famous brothels, one that had recently been transformed.  Known popularly as “Venice,” this brothel became for a short time home to a community of reformed prostitutes.  The city’s most charismatic preacher, Milíč of Kroměříž, had reportedly inspired their conversions.  Many came to live under his authority in this former brothel—along with his male clerical followers.  He re-christened the place “Jerusalem” in a clear apocalyptic allusion. 

Accounts by his admirers and accusers reveal a mixed-sex community characterized by the wearing of habits, regular preaching, frequent or daily communion, and physical asceticism—Milíč’s opponents claimed he beat the women.  Milíč died in 1374 in Avignon, defending himself at the papal court against this and an array of other accusations.  Jerusalem died with him.  The Emperor who had originally provided its buildings quickly transferred them to the Cistercians for a college.

My paper will explore the character of this controversial community of priests and (reformed) prostitutes and its effects upon the topography of prostitution in Prague.  Venice became Jerusalem, but brothels and “suspect houses” remained important urban fixtures until they were destroyed by radical Hussites in the next century.  This account of their location within the city and society of Prague will provide interesting comparisons and contrasts to the picture that Ruth Karras has drawn of English prostitution as well as highlight a neglected aspect of an important later medieval city.