Malý Fürstenberský palác

Malý Fürstenberský palác (the Small Fürstenberg Palace) is a modest late Baroque building on Valdštejnská street in Prague's Malá Strana district, today forming part of the seat of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Where exactly is the palace located?

The building stands at Valdštejnská 12 (registration numbers 155 and 156/III), directly next to the Kolovrat Palace, to which it is physically connected. Its coordinates are 50.0911, 14.4062. Together with the neighbouring palaces, it forms part of a complex protected as a national cultural monument.

What is the history behind the building?

Two Renaissance houses with an extensive garden originally stood on the site. In the 18th century the property was bought by Countess Marie Barbora Černínová of Chudenice, who had both houses rebuilt in Rococo style and joined the resulting palace to the neighbouring Kolovrat Palace. Because of her, the building is sometimes still called the Černín House.

Ownership changed hands several times during the 19th century. In 1866 the property was bought by Prince Maxmilián Egon III of Fürstenberg, and from that point the building took the name it carries today. It stayed in the Fürstenberg family until 1945.

What happened to the palace in the 20th century?

In 1939 the state rented the building for the needs of the Council of Ministers. After the end of the Second World War, the Fürstenberg family's property was confiscated under the Beneš decrees, and the palace passed into state ownership.

What is the palace used for today?

The Malý Fürstenberský palác now forms part of the Czech Senate's seat. It connects to the Kolovrat garden, part of the Palace Gardens below Prague Castle, one of the most highly regarded historic garden complexes in the city.

How does it differ from the Large Fürstenberg Palace?

Valdštejnská street is also home to another building carrying the Fürstenberg name - the Velký Fürstenberský palác, originally a Renaissance structure that today houses the Embassy of the Republic of Poland. The Small Fürstenberg Palace is noticeably smaller and, unlike its larger counterpart, belongs to the Senate complex rather than to a diplomatic mission.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Malý Fürstenberský palác located? On Valdštejnská street, number 12, in Prague's Malá Strana, right next to the Kolovrat Palace.

Can visitors tour the palace? The building is part of the Czech Senate's premises, so public access is limited to occasional events organised by the institution.

Where does the palace's name come from? From the Fürstenberg family, who acquired the building in 1866 and remained its owners until the end of the Second World War.

Is the palace known by any other name? It is sometimes called the Černín House, after Countess Marie Barbora Černínová of Chudenice, who commissioned its 18th-century rebuilding.