Sterneggovský palác

Sterneggovský palác is a historic palace building in Prague's Malá Strana district, standing on Lázeňská street right next to the former Knights of Malta compound. Its walls combine Gothic, Renaissance and early Baroque work, the result of successive rebuilds carried out over several centuries.

Where did the building come from?

The oldest foundations date back to before 1400, when a watch tower belonging to the neighbouring monastery of the Knights of Malta stood on the site, used by the monks to keep an eye on the surroundings. A major renovation followed in 1535-1537, and the building underwent a thorough reconstruction before 1598, continuing through 1606. Interior work followed in a further round of changes between 1686 and 1699.

How did its appearance change over time?

The last significant reconstruction took place around 1780, by which point the building had grown to three storeys. An early Baroque entrance portal and stone vaulting survive from that period, and the main representative hall still has a stucco-decorated mirror ceiling with ornamentation dating to around 1774. Traces of the medieval Knights of Malta tower remain embedded within the later Renaissance and Baroque structure.

Where exactly is it located?

The palace stands in Malá Strana, one of Prague's oldest and most picturesque districts, close to Maltézské náměstí, a square historically tied to the Knights of Malta. The area is a dense network of narrow lanes and palace houses, and Sterneggovský palác is one of its many lesser-known historic buildings.

Is the building legally protected?

Yes, Sterneggovský palác is listed in the Czech register of immovable cultural monuments (Památkový katalog), recognised for the historical and architectural value of its layered construction spanning from the Middle Ages to the Classicist period.

The legend attached to the palace

Local tradition tells of the ghost of a monk who is said to have taken his own life over unrequited love and to haunt the building ever since. There is no historical evidence behind the story, but it has become a fixture of Malá Strana folklore.

Frequently asked questions

When was Sterneggovský palác built? Its oldest foundations go back to before 1400, when a Knights of Malta watch tower stood on the site. The building took its present form through a series of rebuilds carried out between the 16th and 18th centuries.

What architectural styles can be seen there? Gothic elements survive in the foundations and tower remains, alongside Renaissance and early Baroque work such as the entrance portal and stone vaulting, with stucco interior decoration added in the late 18th century.

Where exactly is the palace located? On Lázeňská street in Prague's Malá Strana district, close to Maltézské náměstí, in the heart of a historic quarter full of similar palace buildings.

Is the palace a protected monument? Yes, it is listed in the Czech register of immovable cultural monuments as a building of historical and architectural value.