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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Baroque statues

Baroque architecture uses  a considerable amount of statues  and depiction of  human or celestial beings.

A dynamic composition of Baroque statues on the facade of the originally Gothic  St. Jacobs church. www.robsarchitour.com the best private tours of Prague.

This creates the impression that the viewer can identify with something personal on a baroque building,  and it is usually a statue.

Baroque statues are made to convey human emotion with an expression of enlightenment. www.robsarchitour.com, Prague private tour guide, specialized in Prague historical architecture

Baroque uses dynamics in its statues, there is movement and human emotion speaking to the viewer, and sometime these statue are convening a certain message trough their emotional expression, but by all means Baroque statues are used to make the building come alive.

Baroque statues are made to convey human emotion with an expression of enlightenment. www.robsarchitour.com, Prague private tour guide, specialized in Prague historical architecture

A dynamic composition of Baroque statues on the facade of the originally Gothic  St. Jacobs church. www.robsarchitour.com the best private tours of Prague.

Baroque II

And very well so, Baroque had to do a job in new type of religious Europe, in which there was not only the Catholic church, but people had learnt that there were also other options , such as the newly formed Protestant movement.

The Onion dome typical for Central European Baroque architecture, seen on private tours of Prague by www.robsarchitour.com

Through,  architecture, the catholic church tried to woo the population back into its fold, with the message  that God loves us so that is why he blessed us with such opulence. 

The richly decorated interior of the Baroque St. Nikolas church on the Old Town Square, in Prague, seen on private tours of Prague by www.robsarchitour.com

The richly decorated interior of the Baroque St. Nikolas church on the Old Town Square, in Prague, seen on private tours of Prague by www.robsarchitour.com

The theme of baroque is piety, this emphasis on religious devotion led to the emergence of places of pilgrimage such as  the Loreta at the Prague castle, and cult of St. John of Nepomuk, who was said to have been thrown off the Charles bridge

The spot where St. John of Nepomuk is said to have been thrown off the Charles bridge, seen on private tours of Prague by www.robsarchitour.com

A depiction of St. John of Nepomuk,with his trademark 5 star hail glow over his head, seen on private tours of Prague by www.robsarchitour.com

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

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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