The Czernin Palace () is the largest of the

baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

palaces of

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, which has served as the offices of the Czechoslovak and later Czech foreign ministry since the 1930s. It was commissioned by the diplomat Humprecht Jan Czernin, the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...

imperial ambassador to

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

and

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, in the 1660s. The palace features stuccos by Italian artists.Mojmír Horyna, Pavel Zahradník, Pavel Preiss ''Czernin Palace in Prague'' 2001 Page 23 "... working so hard it could be hoped that they would finish before the Count's arrival in Prague. This was the first time the two stucco makers working at the palace were actually named – Giovanni Bartolommeo Cometa and Giovanni Maderna."

History

In 1666, Humprecht Jan Czernin purchased a part of the debt loaded property of the House of Lobkowicz, including a building plot with gardens located in the centre of Prague. In 1668, he commissioned Francesco Caratti, a Swiss-Italian architect, and assigned him to develop the project of his new palace on the site. The next year, building contractors Gione Decapaoli and Abraham Leuthner started construction. The plasterers Giovanni Maderna and Giovanni Battista Cometa were replaced by Francesco Peri and Antonio Travelli in 1674.

References

{{Coord, 50, 05, 20, N, 14, 23, 25, E, region:CZ-PR_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Houses completed in the 17th century Palaces in Prague Buildings and structures completed in the 17th century Czernin family Baroque palaces in the Czech Republic

History

See also

References