The monumental facade of the Černín Palace (Černínský palác), one of the
largest and most important Baroque buildings in Prague is a dignified counterpart to the pilgrimage site of Loreta. Actually, the intention of the owner, the ambitious Count Humprecht Jan Černín of Chudenice, was much greater - he wanted his residence, built on a raised promontory, to create an optical counterpart to Prague Castle itself.
He could afford it; he was one of the richest and most powerful peopie in Bohemia of his time. He was employed at the imperial court in Vienna and between 1660-1663 served as an i mperial envoy in Venice. The palace, especially its main eastern facade, 150m long and divided by thirty continuous semi-columns (photo below) is c1ear proof of the founder's megalomania. It was built between 1669 and 1682. The designer was Francesco Caratti, an Italian architect of the early Baroque period working in Bohemia. After Humprechťs death his son Heřman Jakub continued with the construction of the building, but the work especially the opulent decoration - was comple only by the founder's grandson František Je in 1723.
Among the painters, sculptors stuccoers who gaye the interiors their fi appearance were illustrious foreign as wel native artists, including Giovanni Bartolorr Cometa, Giovanni Battisto Allio, Wences Vavřinec Reiner, Petr Brandl, Matyáš Bern Braun, Tommaso Soldatti, Ondřej F Quitainer and many others. Even for the ceptionally well-off Černíns the construct of the palace was a big investment anc swallowed a large chunk of the family wea During the wars for the Austrian inheritar in 1742 and 1757 the palace suffered Ci siderable damage and from 1777 it was permanently occupied and it deteriorated, er even becaming a shelter for the poor Prague. Since 1851 it was in the possess of the army and used as a barracks; during construction the interior decoration suffe considerable damage. Between 1928-1 ~ the building was adapted for the residence the Foreign Office (and stili serves this pose today). The broad terrace in front of the building and other modifications of the Loretan Square come from the same period.
The wings of the palace surround two arcade courtyards. The centra I room is a large hall, three storeys in height. The terraced
palatial garden, adjacent to the beautiful northern facade, is also remarkable. It is shaped as an isosceles triangle. In one vertex there is a garden pavilion dating from 1744-1746 and the area is complemented by two ponds.
He could afford it; he was one of the richest and most powerful peopie in Bohemia of his time. He was employed at the imperial court in Vienna and between 1660-1663 served as an i mperial envoy in Venice. The palace, especially its main eastern facade, 150m long and divided by thirty continuous semi-columns (photo below) is c1ear proof of the founder's megalomania. It was built between 1669 and 1682. The designer was Francesco Caratti, an Italian architect of the early Baroque period working in Bohemia. After Humprechťs death his son Heřman Jakub continued with the construction of the building, but the work especially the opulent decoration - was comple only by the founder's grandson František Je in 1723. 