Edelmann palace

Edelmann Palace is a Renaissance townhouse on the Upper Square in Olomouc, known for one of the most richly decorated facades in the city's historic centre.

Where is it and how do you spot it?

The palace stands on Horní náměstí (Upper Square), Olomouc's main square, right beside the town hall and the famous Holy Trinity Column. What sets it apart from neighbouring buildings is its ornate facade: triangular gables sit above the arches of former loggias, covered in floral ornament, while stone reliefs depicting biblical scenes survive beneath the window sills. Above the entrance, a portal carries the Edelmann family coat of arms along with symbolic portraits of the founder and his son.

Where does the name come from, and who built it?

The building took shape between 1572 and 1586, formed by joining two older Gothic houses into one. The man behind the project was Václav Edelmann, an influential burgher and town councillor, whose name the palace still carries. It ranks among the most valuable Renaissance buildings raised in Olomouc during a period when the city was one of the wealthiest urban centres in Moravia.

How has the building's role changed over the centuries?

For a burgher's house, its history is unusually eventful. In 1719 it passed into municipal ownership. From 1816, commanders of the Olomouc fortress lived here, including Field Marshal Josef Wenzel Radetzky, a well-known figure in Austrian military history. Between 1850 and 1904 the palace housed the city administration, since the town hall itself was occupied by the courts at the time. It also served cultural purposes: a concert hall for the Collegium musicum operated inside, along with a gallery and a bookshop, and in 1908 the building became home to Olomouc's first permanent cinema.

Why does the facade look the way it does today?

Compared with its original Renaissance appearance, today's facade is noticeably plainer — the result of a rebuild carried out between 1869 and 1871. Architect František Kottas drew on 15th-century Florentine Renaissance architecture for the redesign, bricking up the original arcades and replacing them with rectangular windows. Despite that intervention, the building kept its Renaissance identity and remains one of the more recognisable landmarks on the square.

What can visitors actually see up close?

In practice, sightseeing here means admiring the facade from the square rather than stepping inside — the palace is privately owned and does not operate as a museum or a site with regular public access. Still, it's worth pausing at street level to pick out the details: the biblical reliefs under the windows, the floral ornament above the loggias, and the heraldic carving on the portal. It fits naturally into a walk around the Upper Square, alongside the town hall and the column.

How do you get there?

The palace sits right in the heart of Olomouc, on the Upper Square, within the pedestrian zone that's an easy walk from the main train station or a short tram ride to the centre. This part of town is best explored on foot — every major old-town landmark lies within a few hundred metres.

When is the best time to visit?

The square and the palace facade make an impression year-round, but late afternoon light works best for photographing the architectural details, catching the elevation at an angle. In summer, festivals and markets regularly bring extra life to the square.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the palace? No, the building is privately owned and not open to visitors — it's viewed from the outside, from the Upper Square.

Why is it called Edelmann Palace? After Václav Edelmann, an Olomouc burgher and town councillor who commissioned the building in the 16th century.

Who lived in the palace historically? From 1816, commanders of the Olomouc fortress resided there, among them Field Marshal Josef Wenzel Radetzky.

Is this the only Renaissance palace on the Upper Square? No, other burgher houses from a similar era stand nearby, but Edelmann Palace's facade is considered one of the most decorative in this part of the city.