Plecnik' Monumental Stairway / Plecnikovo monumentální schodište - Prague Castle (Prague) - Outdoor Stairways on Waymarking.com

The Monumental Stairway (monumentální schodište), connecting Hradcany Square (Hradcanské námestí) with Paradise Garden (Rajská zahrada) in Prague Castle, is work of the prominent Castle architect Jože Plecnik.

Jože Plecnik (23 January 1872 – 7 January 1957), the Slovenian born architect left a legacy in the city of Prague, even though he was only responsible for two projects, however, they were major projects, and his legacy is priceless. Plecnik studied under the famous architect Otto Wagner from 1894 to 1897 in Art Nouveau Vienna. Plecnik moved to Prague in 1911 and begin teaching at the Arts and Crafts college, inspiring young Czech artists and architects, who would go on to become involved in the Czech avant-garde Cubist movement. In 1920, Plecnik started working on the medieval Prague Castle, a feat not to be measured, as the castle dominates the city and her surroundings. Tomas Masaryk, the president at the time was seeking someone who could renovate the facilities while keeping the historical aspects sacred and playing on the new founded power seated in the Prague Castle, power, history, and democracy blended together. Masaryk nominated Plecnik chief architect. From 1920 to 1934, Plecnik completed various projects around the castle. These projects included renovations of numerous gardens and monumental courtyards with design and installation of sculptures, statues and monuments (such as the Obelisk in the 3rd courtyard of the castle). He also completed numerous new interior spaces including the interesting Plecnik Hall, finished in 1930, which features three levels of abstracted Doric colonnades. It is interesting to note that Plecnik took something Medieval and made it absolutely modern all the while making it pedestrian and visitor friendly, even welcoming.