The Palais Schwarzenberg is located in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, and is a beautiful Renaissance structure. It is close to the Prague Castle and is situated in the Castle Square. Today, it has a museum that displays a large art collection.
History and Architecture
The Schwarzenberg Palace is located in an area that once had three structures that were destroyed in 1541 by a fire. The ruins were purchased by a rich nobleman, Jan Lobkowicz. The palace was constructed on this site in the mid 16th century for Lobkowicz.
The palace was designed by Agostino Galli, an Italian master builder. It originally had the name of Lobkowicz Palace. The Palais Schwarzenberg is a wonderful example of Renaissance architecture in the city. In 1593, Lobkovicz, was charged with fraud and betrayal. He was sent to prison by the emperor who then seized the palace. The Palais Schwarzenberg was given to Petr Rožmberka. After being owned by several different individuals, the Schwarzenberg family acquired the palace in 1719 and had ownership of it until 1948.
The main building is T-shaped and was made in 1567. Several years later the western wing was added. The palace walls enclose a courtyard. A grille gate and wall separate it from the Hradcanske square. One of the chimneys has a sundial on it that has the day symbol of a rooster and the night symbol of an owl. The impressive white and black sgraffito decorations give the perception that the walls were built from pyramid shaped stones. The interior of the place has ceilings that are decorated with remarkable frescoes that depict famous classical scenes.
Museum
The palace was used by The Technical Museum for exhibitions in 1909. The Military History Museum was housed in the palace from 1945 to 2002. The Schwarzenberg Palace was then closed for a long restoration. In 2007, it reopened and now is part of Prague’s National Gallery. The museum has exhibitions from the late Renaissance era, as well as a collection of Bohemian Baroque art which includes both paintings and sculptures.
