Prague Castle is dominated by the Schwarzenberg Palace. Near the entrance, next to the castle gates, you can see the huge, richly decorated palace. Its style represents the so-called Bohemian Renaissance, which was influenced by Italians and Czechs. The foyer of the palace has some features of both Renaissance and modern architecture.
The treasures of the Schwarzenberg Palace. The first exhibition in the National Gallery was opened in 2008. It is dedicated to the old Baroque masters who were the creators of the treasures of the Czech Baroque. You can admire works by Rembrandt, Rubens, El Greco, Francisco Goya, Dürer, Brandl, and many other famous Baroque artists from the 16th to 18th centuries.
Another feature of the interior is a well-preserved ceiling painting from 1580 which depicts popular ancient mythology of the time.
The palace's history began in the 16th century, when a fire destroyed four medieval homes. The noble Lobkowicz family, who became fascinated by Italian Renaissance architecture, built their residence here. The palace later belonged to the nobility Schwarzenberg family and was embellished with its famous black and white sgraffito. During WWII, the Nazis converted the castle into a war museum, which was maintained even during the communist era. When the building needed to be restored, the war museum relocated to Invalidovna. After a six-year renovation (2002-2008), the building's interior and exterior have been refurbished, and visitors may now admire the architecture and exhibitions inside.
If you enjoy galleries, we recommend exploring more of the Prague National Gallery's buildings. The Palace of Trade Fairs houses works of modern art from the 20th and 21st centuries. The most appealing exhibitions are in the Old Town Square at Kinsky Palace.
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