Archbishop's Palace
*the seat of the Archbishop of Prague
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In 1561, the Emperor Ferdinand I bought the older Renaissance building which stood on the site of today’s palace and dedicated it to the Archbishop of Prague. After becoming the permanent seat of the Archbishop of Prague, the palace went through several marked building reconstructions. Originating in the Renaissance, then at its peak, the palace’s plan was apparently designed according to the royal architect Boniface Wohlmuth. The current appearance of the palace, however, dates from a radical reconstruction in the mid-17th century using early Baroque styling. Based on the design of French architect, Jean
Baptiste Mathey, the palace’s façades were carried out, including the portal featuring Slivenec marble and a super-elevated arbor, characteristic for Mathey’s style. Mathey’s influence in the reconstruction is likewise witnessed by the palace’s portico featuring a visible triangle with the year 1676. The interior of the palace boasts rich decoration with exceptional wood-carvings, Rococo plaster work, excellent specimens of chandeliers and furniture, various glass and porcelain. The majority of the decoration is in the throne room and in the dining room, where tapestries woven in Paris also hang.
