Architectural Prague

Prague is the architect’s dream. The city encompasses architecture from many different styles and generations. From the old Baroque to the non-traditional design of the “Dancing House,” there is a type of architecture for everybody. Even those who are not particularly keen on architecture will find Prague ’s buildings, statues and bridges a sight they will never forget.

Prague is a collage of architectural style. From Gothic to Cubists and Baroque, the city encompasses all types of architectural design. The most notable Baroque style found in Prague is exhibited in the bell tower of The Loreto . The bell tower houses a carrilon of 30 bells produced in Amsterdam . The Loreto was designed in the Baroque style to remind those of the Holy Roman Empire and to evoke people to rejoin Catholicism.

The most controversial piece of architecture is the non-traditional style of the “Dancing House.” The Dancing House was originally named Fred and Ginger. The house is meant to roughly resemble two dancers. The house was designed by a Czech architect named Vlado Milunic. He was assisted by a Canadian architect named Frank Ghery. The site was a vacant riverfront lot that had been destroyed by a bomb in 1945. They began construction in 1994 and the house was completed in 1996. They had hoped the Dancing House would become a center for people to come and enjoy the culture of Prague . There is a French restaurant on the roof and various other tenants occupy the building.

The Prague Castle itself is home to a variety of architectural styles. The castle is home to the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral as well as the Romanesque basilica of St. George. The cathedral is an excellent example of the Gothic style and is home to many tombs of famous Prague people. It is the most important cathedral in the country as it is seat of the Archbishop of Prague. The first builder of the cathedral was a Frenchman by the name of Matthias of Arras. He designed the overall layout and included a triple-naved basilica, flying buttresses, short transept, five-bayed choir, decagon apse and radiating chapels. These were all components of the French Gothic style at this time.

Matthias’ successor was Peter Parler. After finishing the design that Matthias had originally planned, Parler began work on the cathedral using his own ideas and designs. These ideas such as the netted look of the cathedral ceilings were not of classic French Gothic design. Parler’s work on the cathedral was slow as he was commissioned by Charles IV on several other projects at the same time. These included the Charles Bridge and many other churches throughout the Czech kingdom. The cathedral would see a variety of other architects throughout its construction. These architects would later add elements of Renaissance and Neo-Gothic art to the building.

The Prague Castle would see ten centuries of different architectural styles. From its beginnings as a wooden castle to its ultimate classical style, the castle would see many kings and queens with different ideas for the style of the castle. The beginnings would be Romanesque, the style would be captured in the many different basilicas of the castle

The Church of the Virgin Mary and the St. George Basilica are examples of the Romanesque style. The next would be the Gothic Age, which would encompass the St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace I & II and the Fortifications of the Prague Castle . The Renaissance would place its mark as well and can be seen in the Royal Garden and Queen Anne’s Summer Palace . The Baroque style can be found in the Riding School , the Old Provost’s Residence, the Tomb of St. John Nepomuk and Lobkowitz Palace . The 19 th Century style of architecture can be found in the Spanish Hall and Rudolf Gallery , while the 20 th Century style is found in the renovation and reconstruction of parts of the castle including the courtyards, gardens and Queen Anne’s Summer Palace amongst other sites throughout the castle. Books are available on the different styles used throughout the castle from Prague Castle itself