Kinsky Palace

Kinský Palace in Prague (Palác Kinských), also known as the Goltz-Kinský Palace, is a Rococo building on the east side of Old Town Square, standing right next to the House at the Stone Bell and the Jan Hus Memorial. It now serves as one of the exhibition venues of the National Gallery Prague.

Who built the palace, and when?

Construction ran from 1755 to 1765 for Count Jan Arnošt von Goltz, a Prussian nobleman, following an earlier architectural concept attributed to Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer and carried out on site under architect Anselmo Lurago. Beneath the western wing, the cellars preserve the remains of a Romanesque house, and a little further north lie traces of an early Gothic house — evidence that the corner plot had been built on long before the current palace went up.

Where does the "Kinský" part of the name come from?

The first half of the name honors the Goltz family, who commissioned the building. The second comes from the Kinský family, Bohemian nobility who acquired the property in the following decades. Both names survive today, and the palace is referred to either by the full double-barreled form, Goltz-Kinský, or simply as Kinský Palace.

What is the palace's connection to Franz Kafka?

A German-language secondary school occupied the second floor, and a young Franz Kafka studied there between 1893 and 1901. Decades later, from 1912 until his death, Kafka's father Hermann ran a haberdashery shop on the ground floor. That same space today houses a bookshop named after the writer.

What happened on the palace balcony in 1948?

The building also holds a place in Czechoslovak political history. Communist leader Klement Gottwald addressed crowds from its balcony during the February 1948 coup. Official propaganda later credited that speech with the famous opening line about "just returning from the Castle," though historians note the line was actually delivered a few days afterward from a different location, Wenceslas Square. Regardless of the discrepancy, the balcony has remained fixed in public memory as a symbol of the communist takeover.

What can visitors see inside the palace today?

Since the mid-20th century, the building has belonged to the National Gallery Prague, which displays part of its painting, sculpture, and decorative-arts collection there. The Kinský family library has been restored, and the Romanesque and Gothic cellars beneath the palace — among the oldest surviving structures on Old Town Square — have been opened to the public after renovation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is Kinský Palace located? On the eastern side of Old Town Square in Prague, next to the House at the Stone Bell and the Jan Hus Memorial.

Can visitors go inside? Yes. As a National Gallery Prague venue, the palace is open to the public, including its restored medieval cellars and art exhibitions.

What architectural style is the building? Rococo, with a facade based on an earlier design by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer and completed under architect Anselmo Lurago.

Is the Kafka-linked shop still there? Yes — the ground-floor space once occupied by Hermann Kafka's haberdashery now houses a bookshop dedicated to his son Franz.