Love is a mighty enchantress - it is as true today as it was centuries ago. Even rulers experienced warm human feeling in the past, although for couples of high social standing it was rather exceptional. It is said that Czech king Ferdinand 1 was hit by cupiďs darl. AIthough his marriage to Anna Jagello was first and foremost a marriage of convenience, since the Czech estates conditioned the acquisition of the vacant throne with it, Ferdinand loved his Anna deeply. It was for her that he had the beautiful Summer Palace bu i It in the eastern part of the Prague Castle Royal Gardens.
Thaťs why it was also called Queen Anna's Summer Palace. The official name is the Royal Summer Palace, although the most often used but incorrect name is Belvedere. Experts consider it to be the most beautiful and the purest Renaissance building outside of Italy. The design was developed by the Italian architect and stonemason Paolo della Stella, who is also the creator of the beautiful sculptures on the arcades. The construction began in 1538; when Prague Castle suffered a catastrophic fire three years later, it had to be interrupted and all the funds and building capacities had to be invested into the reparation of the damages incurred. The forced interruption lasted for quite a long time, until 1556, and Paolo della Stella did not live to see the construction continued. Architect Bonifác Wohlmut took charge of the task and by 1564 had constructed the first floor and the roof shaped as an upside-down keel. At that time queen Anna had already been dead for a long time (1547), and Ferdinand, who died the same year it was completed, did not live long to enjoy it, either. The more was the building used by their successors, especially Rodolph II, who often stayed there and placed here a part of his art collection. In 1648 the richly furnished residential rooms were looted by the Swedes. They took away a bronze sculpture of Mercury and Psyche by Adrian deevicted in 1836.
After a reconstruction the building has served for exhibition purposes since 1955. Its fate was hanging in the balance again in 1989 - on 21 [uly, during reconstruction works a fire broke out while the copper roof was being fitted. After the damage had been repaired the Summer Palace was again opened for public on 12 July 1991. It is worthwhile to walk around the arcade gallery, which frames the rectangular building on all sides. and to have a look at the fine reliefs set between the arcs. The conception is purely Renaissance, full of life and its joys. There are historical and hunting scenes, genre scenes, and of course motifs from antique mythology.