Franz Kafka lived most of his life in the historical centre of Prague – the Old Town – very close to the former ghetto. His family moved frequently but all of their residences were close to the Old Town Square, within an area of less than one square kilometre.
His parents thus remained loyal to the places where they had put down roots after their arrival in Prague, where they had built up their business and acquired middle-class customers of Czech- and German-speaking Jewish stock. Only later in his life did the circumstances at home oblige Kafka to find accommodation with one of his sisters. His attempts at acquiring an apartment of his own were either unsuccessful or resulted in very brief lets.
Places of residence:
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Birthplace, corner of Kaprova (Karpfengasse) and Maiselova (Maiselgasse) Streets, now U Radnice 5, land-registry number I/27 (1883-885)
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Wenceslas Square 56 (1885), house since demolished
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Dušní Street (Geistgasse), house since demolished; land-registry number V/187 (1885-1887)
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Mikulášská Sreet (Niklasstrasse) 6 (1887-1888), house since demolished
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Celetná Street (Zeltengasse) 2, the Sixt House (1888-1893)
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Old Town Square 2, the Minute House (1889-1896)
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Celetná Street (Zeltengasse) 3, the House of the Magi (1896-1907)
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Mikulášská Street (Niklasstrasse) 36, the Ship (1907-1913)
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Old Town Square 6 (nowadays No. 5), the Oppelt House (1913-1924, except for 1914-1918)
Temporary residences:
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Bílkova Street 10, at his sister Valli’s (August 1914)
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Nerudova (now Polská) Street 48, at his sister Elli’s, (September 1914-February 1915)
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Bílkova Street 10 (February-March 1915)
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Dlouhá Street (Lange Gasse) 18 (now No. 16), the Golden Pike House (March 1915-February 1917)
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Golden Lane (Alchimistenasschen) 22 (November 1916-April 1917)
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Schönborn Palace, Tržiště 12 (March-September 1917)