Martinický palác

Martinic Palace (Martinický palác) stands on Hradčanské náměstí in Prague's Hradčany district, right next to Prague Castle. It's one of the best-preserved Renaissance palaces in the city, instantly recognizable by the elaborate sgraffito decoration covering its façades.

Where exactly is Martinic Palace?

The building occupies a corner of Hradčanské náměstí and Kanovnická street: its main façade faces the square, while one wing runs along Kanovnická. It shares the square with the Archbishop's Palace, the Sternberg Palace, and the Schwarzenberg Palace, all part of the same historic ensemble right outside Prague Castle. Most visitors see it while walking to or from the castle itself.

What's the history behind the building?

Four Gothic houses stood on the site back in the fourteenth century. One of them belonged to the chronicler Beneš Krabice of Weitmile, whom Charles IV put in charge of overseeing the construction of St. Vitus Cathedral. A fire in 1541 that devastated much of Hradčany and Malá Strana destroyed those earlier houses along with most of the surrounding district.

A few years later, the plot was bought by Andrew Teyfl of Kinsdorf and Zeilberg, a man who had commanded a fortress in Hungary, and he set about turning it into a Renaissance residence. In the 1580s the estate passed to George Bořita of Martinice, a provincial judge who went on to serve as Bohemian chancellor. He's the one who gave the palace its present shape, and the family name is where the building's current name comes from. A later owner was his nephew, Jaroslav Bořita of Martinice, one of the officials thrown from a Prague Castle window during the 1618 Defenestration of Prague. Construction unfolded in two separate phases spanning roughly eighty years in total.

What can you see on the façades?

The palace's signature feature is the figural sgraffito covering both the main façade and the courtyard walls. The scenes depict biblical and mythological stories: the tale of Joseph in Egypt, the deeds of Samson, and the labors of Hercules. Inside, painted beamed ceilings survive along with wall paintings decorating the portal and the palace chapel in the great hall. A 1967-1972 restoration brought the sgraffito on both façades, along with the interior decoration, back to a presentable state.

Can visitors go inside?

Martinic Palace isn't run as a walk-in museum with fixed opening hours. Today it operates mainly as an event venue, hosting banquets, conferences, exhibitions, and weddings, so access to the interior usually depends on attending one of these events or arranging a visit with the venue in advance. The façade and its sgraffito, on the other hand, are fully visible from the square at any time, with no restrictions at all.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Martinic Palace located? On Hradčanské náměstí in Prague's Hradčany district, next to Prague Castle, on the corner with Kanovnická street.

Who gave the palace its current form? George Bořita of Martinice, who bought the property in the 1580s from Andrew Teyfl of Kinsdorf and rebuilt it into the Renaissance palace seen today.

What do the sgraffito scenes on the façade show? Scenes from the story of Joseph in Egypt, the deeds of Samson, and the labors of Hercules.

Can you visit the interior of the palace? The palace functions mainly as a private event venue rather than a museum with regular hours, so seeing the interior usually means attending an event there or booking a visit in advance.

Who owned the palace after George Bořita? His nephew, Jaroslav Bořita of Martinice, one of the officials thrown from a window during the 1618 Defenestration of Prague.

How long did the palace take to build? The Renaissance reconstruction happened in two separate phases and took about eighty years altogether.