Cubism

Cubism derives its name from the French term "le cube"  or cube, a shape the entire style is based on, its is trying to create a building from  a composition of  cube like and geometrical, that is why purely cubism building in Prague have no curves what so ever.

While Cubism in painting was made famous by Pablo Picasso,

applying Cubism to  architecture it taught to be a Czech idea. Prague is one of the few cities where you can see Cubist architecture in the historical center.

Along with cubism, there was  another derivative of  of the same style called rondo cubism when it incorporated element of curved shapes .The Legiobank was the first  rondo cubist building, and it went on to spur what would be referred to as a  "national style", mostly used in the interwar period, when the first Czechoslovak Republic was founded, in 1918.

Revivalism II

The more prominent and politically active of these ethnic nations in the Austro-Hungarian empire such as the Czechs, tried to mold out or revive their suppressed national  identities, and some times they used architecture to revive this national sentiment.The Czech nationalist of the time looked back at the reign of Charles IV in the 13th century as the golden era of the Czech kingdom  and therefore used Neo-Gothic architecture as a way of reminding of the past greatness of the Czech state, before it absorbed in the Austro-Hungarian empire 1621.

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Revivalism I

The 19th century is sometimes seen as a directionless crisis in architecture, as this era did not have any dominant architectural style, but rather several competing styles.
When compared to  building boom of the Prague Baroque era (17th and 18th century), and the very expressive and unique style of baroque architecture, there was no other style that could match  the extent of baroque architecture.This prompted the architects of the turn of the century, to start using historical styles, like Neo-Gothic, Neo-Baroque etc.

These revivalist architectural styles were used because they gave the building a flavor of heritage and dignity in a traditional fashion but with a twist of modernity.

Neo-Gothic or Romanticist styles were particularly popular in Prague from the 1850 till WWI, due to the  political climate of the time.
It was the era before WWI,a time when the Austro-Hungarian empire was being pulled apart by ethnic and political  tension that has arisen between  the myriad of ethnic groups cohabiting  in the decaying empire.

Rococo

Rococo  also known Baroque classicism in Prague spanned from  between the years 1750-1780.

Rococo was a style of Baroque typical in the reign of Empress Maria Theresa.From the mid-17th century Baroque passes from its peak to late stage and then begins to  create a  style which is known for its even richer ornamentation and pastel colors, called  Rococo.

The rich ornamentation of the Archbishops palace a t the Prague castle.

The rich ornamentation of the Archbishops palace a t the Prague castle.
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Rococo has the contours of Baroque, but adds plaster décor and color to make it richer.

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An in some cases Rocco combines  Baroque contours, rich plaster décor, pastel paint and Gold

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As seen on the top of the triangle, Rococo also uses contours that jot out of the façade.

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Rococo is derived from the word rokaj, which means shells.

Mussels or rokaj is a vital ornament, which appears on all of rococo monuments, and that is a kind of fastener.

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Gardens bellow the Prague castle II

After the 30 year war that ended in 1648, the  stability and relative prosperity encouraged,mostly catholic nobility to build up the splendid Baroque palaces  that are an essential part of the Lesser town bellow the Prague castle.With there Baroque palaces came Baroque garden which were often landscaped in an attempt to mach the Baroque splendor of the owners Baroque palace.

A cascading staircase in the Baroque gardens.

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A sitting area around a fountain, in the Baroque gardens bellow the Prague castle.
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An open air theater in the Baroque gardens bellow the Prague castle.  

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The Baroque styling is visible from the fact that the gardens have cascading  terraces, with Baroque  sculptures, monumental staircases, fountains ponds, pavilions and galleries. And best of all the garden offer a enchanting view of the Charles bridge and the Old town on the opposite bank of the river.

From the mid 1950s the garden as a whole were closed because of their diminishing state and it was only in the mid 1990s, that they were restored to their former glory and present state.

Garden bellow the Prague castle I

Palace gardens under Prague Castle  are a beautiful collection of  cascading baroque gardens on the southern slope  of the Prague castle hill.Today it forms a historical complex of interconnected gardens.

The Garden on the Ramparts, at the Prague castle.
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The south side Ledeburk garden and Small Palffy Garden cascading below the Prague castle.

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Great Palffy gardens cascading below the Prague castle.

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Kolowrat garden cascading below the Prague castle.

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Kolowrat garden cascading below the Prague castle.

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In the 16th century the fortification surrounding the Prague castle lost its defensive purpose and  there fore most of the fortification was pulled down.
This allowed nobility and wealthy townsmen to buy up land and first established market garden, orchards and vineyards.

The southern gardens of the Prague castle were founded in the mid 16th century .
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In the 1920 they were re-reconstruction by Josip Plecnik, on the request of the first Czechoslavak president.

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Josip Plecnik is best known for designing Lublanja the capital of Slovenia.

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During this era a stone fountain bowl was installed.

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sgrafitto

A hallmark  decoration of the 16th century Italian Renaissance were relief pictures or geometric patterns on the facades of  decoration on  Renaissance buildings known as Sgrafitto.

The  sgrafitto  covered house at The Minute, with its depiction of a world in movement.
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"Sgraffito  is a technique either of wall decor, produced by applying layers of plaster tinted in contrasting colours to a moistened surface, or in ceramics, by applying to an unfired ceramic body two successive layers of contrasting slip, and then in either case scratching so as to produce an outline drawing."From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Roman styled sgrafitto on the facade of the Ungelt  seen as  part of a Prague guided tour focused on the history and architecture of Prague.

Fragments of the original sgraffito facade, with mythological depictions.
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Fragments of the original sgraffito facade, with mythological depictions.
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During the 16th century sgrafitto came to Prague  from Bavaria in Germany,and it was brought to Germany by Italian  Renaissance architects, it was adopted with considerable enthusiasm.

 A example of 3D like pyramid  sgraffito on the Schwarzenberg  palace at the Prague castle.
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Floral motive sgraffito  order your own.
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 Or on other facades it was  depiction's of Greco-Roman gods.

The Ball Game hall, covered by sgraffitto, built in 1569, as a indoor area for playing various ball games. www.robsarchitour.com the best private tours in Prague.

Another kind of renaissance house facade appears on the palace Granovský from Granov in theTyn in Old Town.Chiaroscuro is  a type Renaissance  sgrafitio,with a strong emphasis on contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts  affecting a entire painting. In this type of sgrafitto  the  painter  drew  from the paper's base tone toward light using white gouache, and toward dark tone using ink .                                                    

Chiaroscuro covered facade from 1558 depicting biblical figure of Adam, Eva, Abel and Lot

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Chiaroscuro covered facade from 1558 depicting biblical figure of Adam, Eva, Abel and Lot.

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