Černínský Palác

Černínský Palác

Černínský Palác, or Cernin Palace is the current home to Prague's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We were given a private tour which was a great opportunity since the building is not open to the public. Even if you cannot go inside, the building it definitely worth seeing, as it is Prague's largest baroque palace - the facade stretches 130m. Built in the 17th and 18th centuries for Count Černín's family, it remained a private residence for only a short while due to the family's financial instability. It was then occupied by French and Bavarian armies during the Austrian Succession war, and used as the SS headquarters from 1939 to 1945.

After the war, foreign minister Jan Masaryk lived in a flat on the top floor of the palace. On March 10, 1948 he was found dead in the courtyard below his window, and it is believed that he was defenestrated - but his murder has not been proven.

The bathroom window from which Jan Masaryk was defenestrated.

Every hour, a series of bells can be heard ringing to mark the time from the nearby bell tower.

The palace has gorgeous gardens, which we were also taken to see, a perfectly manicured lawn and two pools take up the space between the palace and the summer house.

The palace gardens and summer house.
View of the palace from the gardens

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Visit the Palace:
Not open to the public.
Map