dům pážat pánů z Martinic

The House of the Pages of the Lords of Martinic is a corner building on Kanovnická Street in Hradčany, Prague, just a short walk from Prague Castle. Its facade carries distinctive sgraffito decoration, and its name recalls the era when young noblemen serving at the imperial court lodged here. The building's story spans medieval townhouses, a Renaissance palace, and — most recently — a home for a museum of modern history.

Where does the name come from?

The name "House of the Pages of the Lords of Martinic" dates back to the reign of Emperor Rudolf II. During that period, the building housed pages — young men of noble birth who received courtly education and experience by serving great aristocratic families. In this case, the pages belonged to the household of the Lords of Martinic, one of Bohemia's old noble families with strong ties to the imperial court in Prague. The name has stuck ever since, even though the building itself went on to serve very different purposes over the following centuries.

How has the building changed over time?

From Gothic townhouses to a Renaissance palace

The site where the House of the Pages now stands was originally occupied by three separate Gothic townhouses. By the late 15th century these had come into the possession of the Lords of Šternberk. In 1541, a major fire that devastated much of Hradčany and the Lesser Town destroyed the houses completely, and a new Renaissance palace was built in their place.

In 1587, Kateřina ze Šternberka handed the property over to Emperor Rudolf II, who intended it as lodgings for the imperial pages. The takeover by the imperial court came with a substantial rebuild: a unified entrance wing on the north side, a west wing, and part of a south wing were added, giving the structure roughly the layout it still has today.

The Baroque rebuild and the twentieth century

Another major turning point came in 1666, when the building underwent a Baroque renovation involving Carlo Lurago, a respected architect active in Prague at the time. From the late 17th century onward, the house gradually lost its courtly function and came to house castle staff and poorer residents of the Hradčany district.

The 20th century brought further changes of use. From 1973 the building was occupied by Prague's Office of the Chief Architect, and it underwent another reconstruction in 1974–75. After 2008, however, the building stood empty for more than a decade.

What can visitors see today?

In 2020, the City of Prague decided that the House of the Pages would temporarily become home to the Museum of 20th Century Memory. The institution is intended to present the key events of 20th-century Czechoslovak history, following the example of similar memory institutions elsewhere in Europe. After years of standing vacant, the building has regained a public, cultural role — opening its Renaissance and Baroque interiors to visitors once again.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the House of the Pages of the Lords of Martinic located? It stands on Kanovnická Street in Hradčany, right next to Prague Castle, as a corner building with a distinctive sgraffito facade.

Why is it called the "House of the Pages of the Lords of Martinic"? Under Emperor Rudolf II, the building lodged young noble pages attached to the household of the Lords of Martinic, an old Bohemian aristocratic family — hence the historical name that survives today.

Can the building be visited? Since becoming home to the Museum of 20th Century Memory, the building has taken on an exhibition function and is open to visitors as part of the museum's activities.

How old is the building? Its roots go back to medieval townhouses predating the 15th century, but the Renaissance and Baroque structure visible today largely took shape after the 1541 fire and the rebuilding campaigns of the late 16th and 17th centuries.