Golden Lane runs along the inside of Prague Castle's northern walls, a row of sixteen tiny houses built into the fortifications in the 16th century. Originally occupied by castle guards and goldsmiths (hence the name), the cottages are now preserved as a living exhibition, each decorated to show how the space was used at different periods.
The houses are genuinely tiny — some barely wider than a doorway — and the upper story along the ramparts has displays of castle armaments and medieval weaponry. Franz Kafka rented No. 22 from his sister during the First World War; a small memorial marks the house. The lane is included in the full Prague Castle circuit or can be entered separately from the castle's east gate.