Schirdingovský Palác in Prague

Schirdingovský Palác is a historic corner building on Národní třída at Mikulandská street in Prague's New Town (Nové Město), also known as Kaňkův dům (Kaňka House). Protected as a Czech cultural monument, it has housed the Czech Bar Association's headquarters for decades.

Where exactly is the palace located?

The building stands at the junction of Národní třída and Mikulandská, in Prague 1-Nové Město, under the historic house number 118/II. It sits on one of central Prague's busiest streets, right by Národní třída metro station (line B) and several tram lines. From the outside it's easy to walk past without noticing — it doesn't stand apart as a freestanding palace but blends into the street frontage as a corner house among neighbouring buildings.

Where does the name come from, and who lived here?

The name comes from Jan Antonín ze Schirdingu, an imperial councillor who bought the house at auction in 1752 and commissioned its Neoclassical remodelling. The building's second name, Kaňkův dům, refers to a later owner, Jan Nepomuk Kaňka, a well-known Prague lawyer who acquired the property in 1838. Kaňka left the house to a foundation supporting impoverished Prague lawyers and donated his own extensive painting collection to the gallery of the Society of Patriotic Friends of the Arts, one of the institutions that eventually gave rise to today's National Gallery in Prague.

How old is the building?

The site's history goes back to the late 14th century, when two medieval structures connected to malting and brewing stood here; only cellars and fragments of the perimeter walls survive from that period. The first modern reconstruction was carried out by architect Jan Ferdinand Hübner, with work starting after 1731 and finishing before 1752 — before the property passed to Schirding. After his purchase, the house received the Neoclassical touches that largely shaped its present appearance.

What changed in the 20th century?

In 1953, an arcaded passage was cut through the building, connecting Národní třída with the courtyard behind it. In the 1990s, a constructivist-style wing was added on the courtyard side to provide office space for the Czech Bar Association, which still has its seat here today.

What historical significance does this place hold?

The palace stands on Národní třída, a street inseparably linked to the events of November 1989 and the Velvet Revolution — police action against demonstrators took place in the immediate vicinity of the building. In 1990, memorial plaques honouring Miroslav Krátký and Otakar Příhoda were installed on the site, commemorating figures connected to those events.

Can visitors go inside the palace?

No — the interior of Schirdingovský Palác is not open to the public, since it houses the offices of the Czech Bar Association. The building can only be viewed from the outside, while walking along Národní třída, one of the busiest streets in central Prague, linking Wenceslas Square with the Vltava riverfront.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Schirdingovský Palác located? On the corner of Národní třída and Mikulandská street in Prague's New Town (Prague 1), next to Národní třída metro station.

Where does the palace's name come from? From Jan Antonín ze Schirdingu, who bought the building at auction in 1752 and had it rebuilt in the Neoclassical style.

Why is the palace also called Kaňka House? Because lawyer Jan Nepomuk Kaňka purchased it in 1838 and later left it to a foundation supporting poor Prague lawyers.

Can visitors go inside the building? No, the interior is not accessible to tourists — it houses the headquarters of the Czech Bar Association.

Why does this site matter for recent Czech history? It stands next to the site of the police crackdown of November 1989; memorial plaques were installed there in 1990 to honour those events.