About this place
Dietrichstein Palace on Voršilská Street in Prague's New Town is a Neo-Baroque townhouse that now serves as the Apostolic Nunciature, the Holy See's embassy to the Czech Republic.
Where does the palace's name come from?
The building started out as a medieval house that was gradually enlarged over the centuries. Among its historical owners were the Haugwitz family of Biskupice and the House of Dietrichstein, whose name the palace still carries today. Because the 19th-century reconstruction was commissioned by the entrepreneur Matěj Valtera, some sources also refer to it as the Valtera Palace.
How did the building get its current look?
The Neo-Baroque appearance seen today dates from a major reconstruction commissioned by Matěj Valtera (1844–1936), who made his fortune in the sugar industry. The work, completed in 1891, was designed by architect Bedřich Ohmann, who drew inspiration from early 18th-century Viennese palace architecture. Sculptor Celda Klouček and Jan Kastner carried out the sculptural and stucco decoration. Further alterations followed between 1909 and 1913.
What history has the palace witnessed?
In 1846, the building hosted the founding of the Prague Měšťanská beseda, a civic association whose members included leading figures of the Czech national revival: Josef Jungmann, Pavel Josef Šafařík, František Palacký, and Jan Svatopluk Presl.
Who occupies the palace today?
The Holy See purchased the building in 1928, and since 1929 it has served as the Apostolic Nunciature to the Czech Republic, taking over from the Archbishop's Palace, which had housed the nunciature from 1919 to 1929. As an active diplomatic mission, the building is closed to the public, but its facade and central location still make it worth a stop while exploring the New Town.
What's nearby?
The palace stands on Voršilská Street, close to the National Theatre and the Vltava riverside, in a densely built section of Prague's New Town surrounded by other historic townhouses and palaces.
Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside Dietrichstein Palace? No. The building functions as the Apostolic Nunciature, the Holy See's embassy, and as an active diplomatic mission it is closed to visitors. You can still view it from the street while walking along Voršilská.
Why is it called Dietrichstein Palace? The name comes from the House of Dietrichstein, one of the building's historical owners. Because the 19th-century reconstruction was commissioned by Matěj Valtera, it is sometimes also called the Valtera Palace.
Who designed the palace's Neo-Baroque facade? The reconstruction completed in 1891 was designed by architect Bedřich Ohmann, with sculptural and stucco decoration by Celda Klouček and Jan Kastner.
Since when has it served as the Apostolic Nunciature? The Holy See bought the building in 1928, and it has served as the Apostolic Nunciature to the Czech Republic since 1929, taking over from the Archbishop's Palace.
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