Věžníkovský Palace in Prague

Věžníkovský Palace is a historic palace on Thunovská street in Prague's Malá Strana district, listed as a Czech cultural monument. This Baroque-Renaissance building carries centuries of building history and stands among the many aristocratic palaces that line the route up toward Prague Castle.

Why does the palace have several names?

Historical sources refer to the building under more than one name — Věžníkovský palác, but also Hartigovský palác or Salmovský palác. Each name traces back to a different owner who held the property at some point in its history. The "Věžník" name comes from Romedius Věžník z Věžník, who owned the palace between 1696 and 1720. This layering of names is typical of Prague's noble palaces, which frequently changed hands over the centuries, with each owner leaving a mark on the building's identity.

How has the building changed over the centuries?

A medieval townhouse originally stood on the site of today's palace. It was rebuilt in the late Gothic style between 1485 and 1495, then remodeled again in the Renaissance style before 1580. Further building work followed before 1652. The palace took on its present Baroque form after 1670, when it was built up by Isabela Švihovská ze Salmu, who also had a garden laid out on the slope beneath Prague Castle next to the building. The last major phase of work renewed the exterior façades around 1793. As a result, a single building today reflects several architectural periods layered on top of one another, from Gothic beginnings through Renaissance remodeling to its Baroque appearance.

What does the palace look like from the outside?

Věžníkovský Palace is a three-wing building of four storeys arranged around an inner courtyard. The street wing faces south, while the courtyard is closed off on the remaining sides by the east and north wings. The Baroque street façade is divided into seven bays by rectangular windows, with a stone entrance portal set in the centre. On the courtyard side, the façades feature decorated windows and doorways, and the east and south wings carry open galleries resting on stone corbels — a detail worth looking up for when standing in the courtyard.

Are older architectural layers still visible inside?

Despite the Baroque rebuilding, the palace retained several older features. The cellars beneath the street wing are covered with lunette vaulting, and the ground floor still preserves a Renaissance room layout that predates the Baroque work. A vaulted staircase on the first floor connects the building's storeys. Details like these — the vaulting, the stone corbels, the surviving room plan — make the palace a good example of how architectural styles accumulate in Prague's historic buildings over time.

Where exactly is the palace located in Malá Strana?

The palace stands on Thunovská street, one of the streets leading through Malá Strana up toward Prague Castle. This is a typical location for Prague's aristocratic architecture, surrounded by other historic palaces and townhouses, which makes a walk through the surrounding streets a natural extension of a visit to Věžníkovský Palace.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Věžníkovský Palace located? On Thunovská street in Prague's Malá Strana district, along the route leading up toward Prague Castle.

Where does the palace's name come from? From Romedius Věžník z Věžník, who owned the building between 1696 and 1720. It is also known as Hartigovský or Salmovský palace after other former owners.

What architectural style is the palace built in? It is a Baroque-Renaissance building. Its present Baroque form dates from after 1670, though it also preserves earlier Renaissance and Gothic elements.

Is the palace a protected historic monument? Yes, Věžníkovský Palace is listed on the register of Czech cultural monuments.