Harbuval-Chamaré Palace in Prague

Harbuval-Chamaré Palace, also known as the Musconský Palace, stands on Karmelitská street in Malá Strana, right next to the Thun-Hohenštejn Palace. It's a modest three-storey town palace with a Classicist façade that hides much older Baroque and Renaissance layers underneath.

Where exactly is this palace?

The address is Karmelitská 380/16 in Malá Strana (Prague 1), not in Hradčany — the two districts sit close together on the same side of the Vltava, which sometimes causes confusion. The three-storey street wing faces Karmelitská, while the northern courtyard wing directly adjoins the neighbouring Thun-Hohenštejn Palace.

How far back does the building's history go?

The plot has been built up for a very long time: two malt-houses and two residential buildings already stood here in 1346. After 1611, František Ludvík Muscon put up a new house on the site, which is where the building's older nickname, "Musconský palác," comes from. Between 1682 and 1684, master mason Hans Glier carried out repair work on the property.

Who owned the palace before the Chamaré family?

In 1694 the property passed to Jan Jindřich Turba, rector of Prague's university. František Xaver Turba then sold the house to Jan Baptist Procházka in 1787. The next owner, from 1800, was Princess Rosa Kinská, and it was her rebuilding project that gave the palace the appearance it still has today.

What gave the palace its current Classicist look?

The 1800 rebuild was designed by architect Josef Zobel for Princess Kinská. A third storey was added at that point, and the façade took on the Classicist look visible today, even though older Baroque details and Renaissance-vaulted cellars remain underneath.

Why is the palace named after Harbuval-Chamaré?

Count Jan Ludvík Harbuval-Chamaré bought the building in 1834, and his family kept ownership into the early 20th century. That is where the name most commonly used today — Harbuval-Chamaré Palace — comes from.

What can visitors see from the street and in the courtyard?

The ground floor has two shop windows set into vaulted portals, and the entrance runs through a central portal with a double-leaf gate. The courtyard is enclosed by the main wing, a side wing, a rear building and a tall boundary wall. That wall, dating from the 1800 rebuild, has niches decorated with shell motifs and a stone trough fed by a Classicist cascade fountain topped with a lion's head. The cellars are fully vaulted, with a Renaissance barrel vault on lunettes and an old well.

Can you go inside the palace?

Harbuval-Chamaré Palace has been listed as a protected cultural monument since 1964 (registry number 39437/1-808), but it remains a privately used building. Its spaces today are rented out as apartments, offices and shops, so there's no regular visitor access or exhibition inside. The palace is best seen from the outside, while walking along Karmelitská, one of Malá Strana's main streets.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Harbuval-Chamaré Palace located? At Karmelitská 380/16 in Prague's Malá Strana district, next to the Thun-Hohenštejn Palace — not in Hradčany.

Where does the name "Musconský palác" come from? From František Ludvík Muscon, who built a new house on this older, medieval plot after 1611.

Who gave the building its current Classicist appearance? Princess Rosa Kinská, who in 1800 hired architect Josef Zobel to add a third storey and rework the façade.

Why does the palace carry the Harbuval-Chamaré name today? Count Jan Ludvík Harbuval-Chamaré bought it in 1834, and his family retained ownership until the early 20th century.

Is the palace open to the public? No — it's a privately used building with apartments, offices and shops, so it can only be viewed from the outside.