Garden of Černín Palace

The garden of the largest Baroque palace in Prague, the Černín Palace, is the work of prominent Baroque architects such as Francesco Caratti, Domenico Rossi, and František Maxmilián Kaňka. Initially, a Baroque garden was built at the end of the 17th century. Still, it transformed in the 19th century and took on the appearance of an English park. It is divided into two elevation levels, featuring the dominant northern façade of the palace and a statue of Hercules battling the Hydra by the sculptor Ignác František Plázer. A cascading pool, shaped boxwoods, and floral borders complement the space. The Černín Palace itself, built for Humprecht Jan Černín of Chudenice, is a pinnacle of Baroque architecture with strong influences from Italian architecture. After establishing the First Republic, it was decided that the palace would house the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To realize this intention, a demanding reconstruction and expansion of the palace were necessary, carried out by architect Pavel Janák from 1929 to 1934. The garden also received a new look thanks to landscape architect Otokar Fierlinger, who worked on the restoration of the garden in 1929, including the restoration of the original Baroque fountains, thus returning it to its former glory.