Kapslovna is located in Prague’s Žižkov district. It is the site where French entrepreneurs Sellier and Bellot began producing percussion caps in 1825. At first, the factory produced caps for hunting cartridges, but production later shifted towards military ammunition. Just two years later, in 1827, the factory known as Kapslovna was renamed and began producing detonators using white gunpowder.
Kapslovna was a factory complex consisting of several buildings carefully separated by a thick wall for safety reasons. Part of this original wall can still be seen today at the top of Parukářka Hill. At the height of its success, the factory produced up to 60 million percussion caps a year, primarily for the Austrian market, but also for export to the United States, England, Brazil and the East Indies. The entire manufacturing process was extremely hazardous. In 1832, Bellot was seriously injured in an explosion involving an explosive compound when fragments of his glasses damaged his eyes. To improve safety, he had additional buildings constructed where the explosive mixture was prepared.
By the early 1830s, Kapslovna employed more than a thousand workers. Further development of the factory, however, was hindered by its increasingly unsuitable location. Parukářka, originally situated well away from the city, gradually became part of the expanding Žižkov district. By 1936, when the factory was surrounded by residential buildings, production was moved to Vlašim, where it continued for many years.
The restaurant premises on Basilejské Square were once a regular dining place for employees of the nearby factory. Among the local residents of Žižkov, the restaurant soon became informally known as “Kapslovna”. We are proud to continue this historical tradition today.
