Malý Buquoyský palác

The Little Buquoy Palace is a modest but historically layered palace in Prague's Malá Strana district, standing right next to its larger namesake, the main Buquoy Palace, now home to the French Embassy. Despite sharing a family name, the two buildings have separate histories and separate heritage listings, and were only physically joined in the 19th century.

Where is the Little Buquoy Palace located?

The palace stands on Velkopřevorské náměstí in Malá Strana, immediately next to the larger Buquoy Palace and the Knights of Malta complex, in one of the most picturesque yet low-key corners of Prague's palace district, just above the Čertovka stream.

How did the building's story begin?

The first structure on this spot was built in 1598 in late Renaissance style, commissioned by Melchior Gniesen of Kobach, chancellor of the Order of Malta. Traces of that Renaissance origin survive today in fragments of painted and stuccoed ceilings, as well as older doors and stove remnants from that period.

Noble owners and the Knights of Malta

The property later passed to Kryštof of Redern, a Bohemian nobleman whose estates were confiscated after the Battle of White Mountain in 1620. It then went to Count Černín of Chudenice, and afterward to the Grand Prior of the Knights of Malta — between 1621 and 1721 it functioned as the order's alumneum, a boarding school for young members of the order.

A Baroque makeover

In the 18th century the palace became the property of the Vražda family of Kunvald, who had it remodeled in Baroque style. The most striking result of that renovation survives to this day: a monumental staircase decorated with putti sculptures produced in the workshop of Ignác Platzer, one of the leading sculptors of Prague Baroque.

Joining the main Buquoy Palace

In 1816 the building was acquired by the Buquoy family, who had already owned the adjoining, larger palace since 1748. The two structures were then physically connected into a single complex — which is why Prague guides still distinguish between the "little" and "great" Buquoy palaces, even though they have functioned as one property ever since. The complex has been protected as a cultural monument since 1964.

What survives behind the façade today?

Like its larger neighbor, the palace has long been leased to the French Embassy, with its rooms serving as staff apartments. It is not open to the general public, but it retains genuinely valuable historic fabric: Renaissance ceilings, a Baroque staircase, and interior details spanning both styles. In recent years the palace underwent a careful renovation that gave the interiors a fresh, colorful look while preserving their historic character.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors go inside the Little Buquoy Palace? No — the building houses apartments for French Embassy staff and is closed to the public. It can be admired from the outside while walking across Velkopřevorské náměstí.

How is it different from the main Buquoy Palace? It is a separate building with its own history: it predates the larger palace on the site, passed through different owners over the centuries — including the Knights of Malta and the Vražda family — and was only merged with the neighboring larger Buquoy Palace in 1816.

Where does the name come from? From the Buquoy family, a Franco-Bohemian aristocratic dynasty that bought the smaller building in 1816 and joined it to the larger palace they had already owned since 1748.

What else is worth seeing nearby? Right next door stands the main Buquoy Palace and the historic Knights of Malta complex, and it is a short walk from here to both Kampa Island and the foot of Charles Bridge.