Baroque I

Baroque is the other most dominant architectural style in Prague apart from Gothic.

Culturally baroque architecture in the Czech lands are always associated with loss of national independence and the dominance of the Hapsburg monarchy along with the reinstatement of the Catholic church.

Early Baroque,  1620-1700 begins with the onset of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648).This war was sparked off when  in 1618 the Czech estates rebelled against the Hapsburg emperor by throwing  3 of his representative out of a window in the Prague castle, this ended in tragedy when all 27 Czech noble men that rebelled we publicly executed at the Old Town Square in the summer of 1621

Along with the Hapsburg's and Catholicism came the Jesuits order  ushering in a new era of Baroque architecture.

 Baroque in it original meaning, meant something imperfect, a coarse or uneven surface.

Baroque used a composition of incomplete ellipse curves triangle and thick lines to break down and play with light, it then used movement and a dynamic elements in the statue, and together this stuns the perception of the viewer. 

An opulent display of grandeur glamour wealth. Which were especially visible  the splendid  interior decor of Baroque Churches

The interior of the Mirror Chapel in Prague as seen on private tours of the  Klementntinum.

 All in an attempt to create a sense of  breathtaking amazement and admiration form the onlooker.

The interior of the Kostel sv.Jiljí in Prague as seen on private tours with

 robsarchitour.com

The interior of the St. Havel's church  in  Prague as seen on private tours with www.robsarchitour.com

Rennisance V

Also as Protestantism spreads through Europe later half of the 15th century, we start seeing the first emergence Protestant Churches which were usually built a Renaissance style. Such as both of the St. Salvador's churches in the Prague Old town.

The symmetrical Renaissance facade of the St. Salvador's church in Prague, seen on guided tours  with www.robsarchitour.com

The symmetrical Renaissance facade of the St. Salvador's church in Prague,seen on guided tours  with www. robsarchitour.com

The classical, Roman styled triangle in combination with  the circular dome  that were typical of  Renaissance churches, as seen on guided tours of Prague with www. robsarchitour.com

The classical, Roman styled triangular facade that is typical of  Renaissance churches, as seen on guided tours  of Prague, with www. robsarchitour.com

Renaissance IV

The wealth that the nobility brought with them also trickled down the social ladder, and  on visible sign of it was that wealthier townsmen could afford  ornate and squared Renaissance windows to adorn their residences.

A Renaissance house facade with it emphasis on a flat and a horizontal effect as seen on guided tours of Prague,with www. robsarchitour.com

A Renaissance window with typical stone frame as seen on guided tours of Prague,with www. robsarchitour.com

An example of a gilded Renaissance widow of the old town hall or Prague bearing the coat of arms of the city as seen on guided tours of Prague,with www.robsarchitour.com

Renaissance III

In Prague, the first Renaissance  element on buildings appears in 1493 – in the form of  the windows Vladislav Hall  the throne hall at the Prague castle.

Early Renaissance elements in combination with Gothic spirals at the Prague castle as seen on private tour, guided by www. robsarchitour.com

Renaissance windows utilizing the classical Roman semi-circular arch as seen on private tour of Prague architecture by www.robsarchitour.com

Then the first  fully coherent Renaissance  buildings  such as the. Old House at Prague Castle, were mostly from  the workshop brilliant architect Benedikt Ried, that still had a tendency to incorporate Gothic elements.

With  the incorporation of the Czech lands into the Hapsburg Empire in 1526, We start seeing the early  Hapsburg's (Ferdinand I, Maximilian II., Rudolf II., And Matthew I.) The early Habsburgs brought in several  great architects such as  - Boniface Wohlmut, Hans Tirol, Paolo della Stella, Ulrico Aostalis . Non the less, they were all very  aware of the strong Gothic tradition and respected it.

Renaissance II

The only purely Renaissance building in Prague is considered to be the Royal Summer Palace. Located in the Royal Garden and had it built by King Ferdinand I. of love to his wife Anna.

Royal Summer Palace in the Royal gardens of the Prague castle as seen on private tour of Prague architecture by www.robsarchitour.com

The Ball Game court in the  Royal gardens of the  Prague castle as seen on private  guided tour, of Prague architecture by www.robsarchitour.com

A  Renaissance Sgrafito decorated hunting lodge in the Prague castle as seen on private  guided tour, of Prague architecture by www.robsarchitour.com

This Royal Summer Palace is even said that it is the only purely Renaissance building north of the Alps.

What made  space for  renaissance in Prague,was a fire in 1541 that swept through the Lesser town bellow the castle.

This fire opened up space for the aristocracy who started building  Renaissance style palaces  with an emphasis  on the horizontal). Perhaps the most articulate building of its kind in Prague Schwarzenberg Palace in Hradcany Square.

The  Schwarzenberg Palace at the Prague kastle with its Sgraffito facade decor, as seen on private  guided tour, of Prague architecture by www.robsarchitour.com

But, during the Renaissance period in Prague, there was an influx of nobility as Prague gradually became the imperial seat of the Hapsburg empire as  Rudolf II. gradually moved his headquarters to Prague because Vienna - the traditional seat of the Habsburgs - was threatened by the Turks. 

The city that Charles built.II

It was also in this era that the Old Town  of Prague  was protected with  fortification, this  fortifications walls  curiously incorporated a Romanesque church of St. Martin St., nicknamed  St.Martina "in the wall". 

Late Gothic style usually associated with the Jagiellonian dynasty. After the era of Charles IV. Prague has had a new architectural boom wait for a long time. After the Hussite Wars (1419-1437), which severed the continuity of social development in the Czech Kingdom, have long failed to build on previous developments. Tyn Church, New Town Hall, Old Town Hall.




The first major building of the late Gothic period in Prague is probably the Powder Tower, whose construction was involved Matthew Rejsek. 
In the 80s and 90s but Master Matthew Rejsek left Prague and moved his creative powers in Kutna Hora.