Schwarzenberg Palace / Schwarzenberský palác (Prague - Hradcany)
N 50° 05.344 E 014° 23.796
33U E 456836 N 5548707
The Schwarzenberg Palace at the Hradcanské Square near the Prague Castle is one of the most imposing Renaissance buildings in Prague. It is an example of the so-called Czech Renaissance: mixing the Italian influences with Czech traditions...
Waymark Code: WM7AW6
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 09/28/2009
Views: 231
Schwarzenberg Palace (Schwarzenberský palác), well preserved and largely decorated with beautiful sgraffitoes, stands on the area of three buildings that were destroyed by great fire in 1541. The ruins were bought by Jan Popel of Lobkowicz, one of the richest noblemen in Bohemia and later on Prague’s highest burgrave. The mail building, in T-shape, was built in 1567, the western wing was finished several years later. The walls of the palace enclose a square courtyard divided from the Hradcanske square by a wall and a grille gate.
If you look carefully from the House At Two Suns in Nerudova Street, you can see a sundial on one of the chimneys of Schwarzenberg Palace. The sundial is accompanied with the symbol of the day – cock and the symbol of the night – owl.
The ceilings inside Schwarzenberg palace are decorated with paintings on canvas stretched over a wooden construction. The paintings made in around 1580 depict famous antic scenes – The Judgement of Paris, The Kidnap of Helen, The Conquer of Troy and The Escape of Aeneid.
After Lobkowitz family, the palace belonged to Petr Vok from Rozmberk dynasty, Svamberk dynasty, Eggenberg dynasty and from 1719–1948 to Schwarzenberg dynasty after which it’s called. From 1909 the palace was used by the Military museum, now, after reconstruction, it belongs to the National Gallery in Prague.