During the years of Nazi occupation, the gallery officially became known as the "Gallery of the Czech-Moravian Land". In 1949, Law #148/1949 officially created the modern National Gallery.
In 1995, the newly renovated building of the Exhibition Palace was transferred to the National Gallery. Here is the collection contemporary art. We will start with the Exhibition Palace.
Exhibition Palace
Subject: international art XIX, XX and XXI centuries.
How to get there: By metro to the station Vltavska (Vltavska) on line C (red). See the map of the Prague metro in our article “”.
After exiting the subway, turn right and walk along the park. At the next crossroads, turn left onto Hermanovo Street, walk along this street for 300 meters to the building of the Exhibition Palace. See the photo of the building on the first photo in this article, the interior on the second photo, click on the photo to enlarge.
: Unfortunately, there is nothing important nearby, except for the Parkhotel Praha, which is popular with tourists.
The Exhibition Palace presents works by German and Austrian modernists: Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, Emil Orlik; Norwegian master Edvard Munch; Russian masters Aristarkh Lentulov and Robert Falk; Spaniards Joan Miro, Anthony Tapies, Anthony Clave.
The National Gallery is especially proud of modern French painting, the collection was replenished by the efforts of Vincenz Kramar and President Tomáš Masaryk. The French collection contains paintings by famous: Auguste Rodin, Eugene Delacroix, Jean Camille Corot, Camille Pissarro, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat.
also in showroom the works of famous cubists are presented: Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, Pierre Bonnard, Maurice de Vlaminck.
And, of course, the works of the most famous Czechs: Alfons Mucha, Josef Vaclav Myslbek, Vojtech Ginais, Maximillian Pirner, Frantisek Bilek.
In total, the Exhibition Hall presents more than 2,000 works. There is a separate exposition of art of the 21st century.
Most interesting work: “Innocence” by Gustav Klimt, “Lovers” by Pierre Auguste Renoir, “Apple Trees” by Claude Monet. A particularly striking impression is made by Alphonse Mucha's painting "Slavic Epic", assembled from 20 parts. See it in the photo above, click on the photo to enlarge.
Subject In: Art of Asia.
How to get there: By metro to the station Staromestska (Staromestska) line A (green).
After exiting the metro, go along Kaprova street (Kaprova) 250 meters in the direction opposite to the movement of cars. Get to the Old Town Square. The Kinsky Palace is located to the left of the Tyn Church. Photo of the palace on the right, click to enlarge.
What attractions are nearby: There are also here on the Old Town Square. If you go from the Staromestska metro station in the direction of traffic and turn left at the first intersection, then after 300 meters you will get to.
The exposition includes more than 13,000 works of art from China, Japan, Tibet, Korea and other countries. South-East Asia, Middle East and Africa.
Here you can see Chinese and Japanese ceramics, netsuke figurines, Tibetan tank paintings, masks and sculptures, archaic art and much more.
This exhibition of the National Gallery is very similar to the Museum of the East in Moscow in terms of the size of the exhibition, and in the composition, and in the style of the building and halls.
Subject In: Art in Bohemia from the Age of Rudolf to the Baroque.
How to get there: Located right in front of the western gate of Prague Castle (Giant's Gate). Read more about the route here in our article “”.
What attractions are nearby: Prague Castle, .
The Schwarzenberg Palace exhibits 160 sculptures and 280 late Renaissance and Baroque paintings, painted in Bohemia from the late 16th to the late 18th centuries.
Among others, we highlight the work of the Czechs Karel Shkret and Petr Brandl, the Germans Hans von Aachen and Bartholomew Spranger.
Subject: European Art from Antiquity to the Baroque.
How to get there: Located 50 meters north of the Schwarzenberg Palace. In front of the western gate (Giant's Gate) of Prague Castle. Read more about the route in our article "".
What attractions are nearby: Prague Castle, .
The halls of the first floor of the Schwarzenberg Palace are dedicated to the collection of paintings from the 14th-16th centuries from the Konopiste castle, which belonged to Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Here you can see paintings and icons by Tuscan artists Bernardo Daddi and Lorenzo Monaco; Venetians and Florentines Agnolo Bronzino and Alessandro Allori.
On the second floor, the works of masters of the 16th-18th centuries are exhibited. Here you will find works by Tintoretto, José de Ribera, Giovanni Tiepoloba, El Greco, Francisco Goya, Rubens, Anthony Van Dyck. Dutch painting represented by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Gerard Terborch, Salomon van Ruisdael, Jan van Goyen.
The office of Josef Hoser, a famous collector and patron of the arts, who did a lot for the National Gallery, is open to visitors.
Anezhsky Monastery (House of St. Agnes of Bohemia)
Subject In: Medieval Art of Bohemia and Central Europe from 1200 to 1550.
How to get there: Take the Prague metro to Namesti Republiky station.
Further, we strongly recommend taking a taxi so as not to get lost on the numerous Prague narrow streets. Tell the taxi driver the phrase “Klaster Anezhka Czech”, he will understand the destination. The trip will cost about 50 CZK. Read the details in our article "".
What attractions are nearby: There is nothing attractive for tourists nearby. Take a taxi and go to the Old Town Square, watch the chimes, the Tyn Church and other exhibitions of the National Gallery.
The exposition on the first floor shows the development of art in the Czech Republic, starting with the iconography and sculptures of the early 14th century. Icons, paintings, panels, wood carvings are exhibited here. For many paintings, the author remains unknown; on the explanatory plate, you can only see the approximate time and city of origin.
Don't try to see all of the National Gallery's exhibitions in one day or even two days. Spend a lot of extra time on transport. Try to visit exhibitions along with other attractions in Prague;
You can take pictures in the halls, but without a flash;
Enjoy viewing the masterpieces at the National Gallery, and read our interesting articles about the Czech Republic links below).
You can read the first part. Photography is prohibited in the Museum of the History of Prague Castle, in the Prague Castle Art Gallery and in the Prague Castle Treasury. We did not break the law, so I took some of the photos from the official website of Prague Castle.
The Old Royal Palace was for centuries the main residence of Czech monarchs and the center of court life. During the reign of the Habsburgs, government agencies, the courts and the Sejm sat. Today it has become museum complex: step by step looking at his apartments, you can realize all the antiquity of Prague Castle.
Hall with coats of arms of ancient and noble families of the Czech Republic
The most grandiose room of the palace is certainly the Vladislav Hall. Its dimensions boggled the imagination of a medieval man - length 62m, width 16m, height 13m. For our time, this may not be much, but for the end of the 15th century, the time of its construction, it was the largest secular building covered with a vault in Central Europe.
Vladislav Hall The vault of the Vladislav Hall is recognized as a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture: its ribs wriggle easily and freely on the surface of the vaults, forming intricate petals, rosettes and stars at the intersections.
Below is our little crime.
Permanent exhibition on the history of Prague Castle
permanent exhibition history of Prague Castle In the vaulted Gothic halls, located on the lower level of the old royal palace, the history of Prague Castle is presented from its foundation to the present day. It is difficult to determine what is more remarkable, the ancient rooms in which the exhibits are located or the exhibits themselves.
20 halls await you archaeological finds, manuscripts, coats of arms, clothes and items of palace furnishings. Arranged in chronological order, the halls ("Roman period", "The era of the Přemyslids", etc.) are interspersed with thematic, illuminating certain aspects life of Prague Castle: this is how dishes are presented in the “Feast” hall, including those found during archaeological excavations; regalia and is practically not accessible for inspection.
Art Gallery - Prague Castle Museum
In addition to temporary exhibitions, the Prague Castle Gallery constantly exhibits its own collection of 4,000 exhibits, which is based on the art collection of Rudolf II, most of which has unfortunately been lost today.
Each room has a pocket with laminated explanations for each painting, but only in English and Czech.
Powder Tower - Prague Castle Museum
A powerful powder tower (its height reaches 44 m, diameter - 20 m), also called "Migulka", was erected at the end of the 15th century by Benedict Reed to install cannons in it. The court alchemists of Emperor Rudolph II used it for experiments on the transmutation of gold. From that time on, it served as a repository for gunpowder and was badly damaged by its explosion in 1648, caused either by carelessness or by malicious intent of Swedish soldiers who briefly took possession of Prague Castle.
The Powder Tower now houses an exhibition of the Military Historical Institute.
It is curious that when our 10-year-old son asked why the Czech soldiers had our flag, an elderly museum attendant explained in very decent Russian that in those days about which the exhibition tells, we had a Soviet red flag with a hammer and sickle. This I mean that many Czechs know Russian well.
Rožmbersky palace
Several halls of this palace became available for inspection recently. This palace once belonged to the influential Rozhmergov family. In 1755 the palace was rebuilt in strict forms early classicism and adapted for the Institute of Noble Maidens - an educational institution for girls of noble origin.
There are no more than five halls available for inspection. One room of a noble maiden, a dining room and an exhibition of gargoyles have been preserved.
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The Spanish Hall and the Prague Castle Picture Gallery contain works of art that used to be part of the collection of the Rudolf Gallery. Assembly is in late XVI century was created by Emperor Rudolf II, a true connoisseur of painting.
During the reign of Rudolph II, significant changes were made to the area, the northern wing was built. The court stables were located on its ground floor, the western part of which was already used by the Art Gallery, and the Spanish Hall was created above them for a collection of sculptures. The name of this front room is not directly related to Spain. The hall was named after the emperor's favorite Spanish horses. The Rudolf Gallery occupied the top three floors of the northern wing and was intended to house the imperial collections.
Rudolf II was an intelligent and enthusiastic, but reserved and eccentric person. He did not like to engage in politics and the direct duties of the ruler of the state, but he had a passion for the occult sciences, was known as a generous philanthropist and patron of the arts. The emperor collected paintings, obtained rare specimens for his Kunstkamera, collected minerals, and encouraged the research of alchemists. And the monarch also loved thoroughbred horses.
Spanish Hall
The construction of the Renaissance Spanish Hall (Španělský sál) took place in 1602–06. The work was supervised by the architect Filippi. The hall impresses with its dimensions - length 43 m, width 21, height 12. A row of columns was installed in the center of the room, which supported the painted ceiling. The wall frescoes were done by Hans Vredeman de Vries.
In the Baroque era, the hall was rebuilt: the columns were removed, the ceiling was made vaulted. Later architects K.I. Dientzenhofer and A. Lurago raised the level of the vault by three meters, making it straight, decorated the ceiling with stucco, and created a new luxurious parquet.
Baroque portico in the garden On the bastion
Under Maria Theresa, the facade of the Spanish Hall was decorated in the Baroque style. A portico was added from the side of the bastion garden. In 1836, oak parquet was again laid in the hall, and eight huge mirrors were fixed on the walls.
A wedge-shaped corridor was created along the Spanish Hall in the second half of the 18th century. In 1865-1868. in connection with the coronation of Franz Joseph I, which, by the way, did not take place, the hall was reconstructed for the last time. Allegory sculptures by Vinier were installed: Industry, Science, Commerce and Art. The appearance of the hall as a whole has been preserved to our time since 1868.
Rudolph II Gallery
Prague Castle Picture Gallery (Obrazárna Pražského Hradu), photo by fisherbray
The premises of the Rudolf Gallery (Rudolfova galerie) were built according to the project of the architect D. Gargiolli before the Spanish Hall - in 1597–98. The entrance to the gallery is located on the lower floor in the north wing. You can go through the vestibule of Karnak - under the stairs leading to the State Halls. During the latest reconstruction, the gallery's premises were designed by Borek Šipek, who served since 1992 as the chief architect of Prague Castle.
The gallery was founded by Rudolf II at the end of the 16th century. During the life of the emperor, his collection consisted of about three thousand different exhibits. It contained the canvases of many great painters; the collection of rarities contained a unique copy of the Satanic Bible, which existed in one copy, and a "magic lantern" - the forerunner of the modern film projector. After the death of Rudolf, the richest collection was gradually dismantled and sold by the heirs. So to Vienna as the royal property of the Habsburgs, when the residence of Emperor Matthias II was transferred there, many objects of art were transported; some were sold at auctions for ridiculous money (in 1782, Durer's "Festival of the Rosary" for 1 guilder, Titian's "Madonna" was bought for 2 guilders). Most of the exhibits were captured by the Swedes in 1648 and taken out of Prague.
For almost three centuries, the collection of Rudolph's gallery has been inexorably reduced. It only refilled once. Archduke Leopold Wilhelm in 1650 bought more than 500 paintings from the collection of the Duke of Buckingham for his brother, Ferdinand III, in Antwerp. These were the works of Rubens, Fetti, Poussin, Rembrandt and others. But works of art continued to be regularly exported to Vienna. In Prague, only canvases remained in poor condition, which were placed in storage or transferred to the Society of Domestic Friends of Art, founded in 1796, for temporary use.
Only in the 20th century, after the emergence of the Czechoslovak state, with the support of the Masaryk Foundation, the collection was again replenished with works national art Czech Republic of the 19th century.
Prague Castle Picture Gallery
In 1965, the Prague Castle Picture Gallery (Obrazarna Pražského Hradu) was opened to house the masterpieces of the collection, which traditionally continued to be called Rudolf's. Now its collection includes more than 4,000 exhibits, but only a small part is exhibited for viewing - about four hundred paintings and drawings.
The most valuable works of the Rudolf Gallery are “Toilet of a Young Woman” by Titian, “The Flagellation of Christ” by Tintoretto, “The Assembly of the Gods of Olympus” by Peter Paul Rubens. The exposition presents paintings by Hans Aachen, Domenico Fetti, Spranger, Veronese, Bassano and other masters. The authorship of some paintings was established through scientific analysis.
Entrance to the gallery from the second courtyard of the Prague Castle.
See the latest information on ticket prices.
Prague Castle Picture Gallery
Pražský hrad, 119 08 Praha 1, Czech Republic
hrad.czTake tram number 22 to the Pražský hrad stop. Turn left (cross the road) and go along U Prašného mostu street, cross the Powder Bridge. Enter the II courtyard of the Prague Castle.
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(Czech: Obrazárna Pražského Hradu) is the oldest collection of paintings in the Czech Republic. Includes paintings by Italian, German, Dutch and Flemish masters of the 17th century (Tintoretto, Titian, von Aachen, Spranger, Cranach, Rubens), as well as paintings by artists of the Czech school of the 18th-20th centuries (Peter Brandl, Jan Kupetsky, Josef Manes, Mikolas Alesh, Vojtech Ginais, Antonin Hitussi, Antonin Slavichek and others).
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The Prague Castle Picture Gallery is the successor Galleries Rudolf, which was founded at the end of the 16th century by the eccentric emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg, known as a generous philanthropist, connoisseur of art and patron of alchemists. During his lifetime, the gallery numbered about three thousand paintings and included many real masterpieces of its time, but only a few of them have survived to this day (for example, Albrecht Dürer's "Rose Wreath Festival", Titian's "Toilet of a Young Woman", "Portrait of Veronese" Jacob Koenig).
The decline of the Rudolf Gallery began immediately after the founder's death in 1612. His successor, Matthias II, moved the best canvases to Vienna, where the imperial court was located. In 1648, most of the collection that remained in Prague was looted by Swedish troops during the Thirty Years' War.
For three centuries (1612-1918), the Rudolf Gallery was replenished only once - in 1650, Archduke Leopold Wilhelm bought more than 500 paintings from the collection of the Duke of Buckingham in Antwerp. Among them were such masters as Fetti, Rubens, Rembrandt and Poussin. For the rest of the time, the works were periodically taken to the Austrian capital, sold at auctions or “taken away” through the numerous halls of the Prague Castle, from where they were then appropriated by the enterprising governors of the fortress and ended up in private collections.
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As a result, only canvases remained, which, due to poor condition, were in storage or were transferred for temporary use to the Society of Domestic Friends of Art, founded in 1796.
Known Czech artists Karel Shkreta and Petr Brandl said that it was in the paintings of the Rudolf Gallery that they found creative inspiration without having to travel all over Europe.
Only after the emergence of the national state (1918) did the nearly extinct collection begin to be replenished with works of the Czech Art XIX century. Financed the purchase of paintings Masaryk Foundation. Among the artists whose canvases were bought were Norbert Grund, Adolf Kosarek, Jan Preisler and many others.
was officially created in 1965 to accommodate the collection, which could only figuratively be called Rudolf's. Now it has about four thousand works of art and is constantly growing, but only 107 of the most valuable paintings and three sculptures are on display for public viewing.
During archaeological research in 1950, on the site where the gallery premises are now located (they were previously the royal stables), the remains Church of the Virgin Mary, which is the first Christian building on the territory of the Prague Castle fortress. The ruins have been mothballed and opened for tours. Tourists can see the northern half of the nave, the apse and the chancel.
- group tour (up to 10 people) for the first acquaintance with the city and the main attractions - 3 hours, 20 euros
- a walk through the little-known, but interesting corners of Prague, away from the tourist routes, to feel real spirit cities - 4 hours, 30 euros
- bus tour for those who want to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the Czech Middle Ages - 8 hours, 30 euros
Hello friends. The National Gallery in Prague (Národní galerie v Praze) has absorbed magnificent pieces of art different countries from the end of the 19th century to the present day. This is one of the largest and most complete museums in Europe. The collections are divided by theme and are located in 6 different buildings in the city. Often tourists forget this fact and get confused. Today we will talk about what buildings the National Gallery consists of, where they are located and what can be seen in their collections.
Administrative district Prague 1, 7. Historical districts , , .
The buildings of the National Gallery in Prague are geographically located in different places cities, but not far from each other.
The gallery itself was created as an educational center. The history of its origin differs from museums in other countries and is closely connected with the history of the Czech Republic and the formation of national identity.
The initial idea and mission is to raise the spirit of the nation through art.
Today, the gallery positions itself as a research organization whose main task is to conduct fundamental and applied research and development, disseminate their results and educate.
The National Gallery in Prague is one of the largest museum collections in Europe.
History reference
Since the XI century, the Czech Republic was part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation - multinational state, founded in 962 by the king of the Eastern Franks Otto I.
From the middle of the 15th century, the imperial throne was occupied by representatives of the Habsburg dynasty, who consistently pursued a policy of German colonization of the Czech lands and support of Catholicism against the popular Reformation.
IN late XVIII century, the Czech Renaissance movement began. "Buditeli" (i.e. enlighteners) defended Czech language and tried through science, literature, theater to revive national identity Czechs.
The date of birth of the gallery is February 5, 1796. On this day, Count Franz Josef Sternberg and a group of prominent representatives of the local aristocracy and bourgeoisie created the Society of Patriotic Friends of Art.
"The society established two important cultural sites in Prague: the Academy of Fine Arts and the Art Gallery, which is the forerunner of the current National Gallery."
In 1902, the collection of the Gallery of Modern Art of the Kingdom of Bohemia was added to the museum collection of the Society ( private collection Emperor Franz Joseph I of Habsburg, founded in 1901).
In 1918, the Society's Picture Gallery became the main art collection of the new state of Czechoslovakia.
Under the guidance of collector and art critic Vincenz Kramář, the gallery developed dynamically until the outbreak of World War II.
During the Nazi occupation, the museum's funds were transferred to the new National Gallery of the Czech Republic-Moravia.
The law of 1949 established the National Gallery of Prague in its current form.
6 gallery buildings
The permanent exposition of the museum occupies 6 buildings, each of which can be called a landmark of the capital.
In addition, temporary exhibitions are held:
- In the Wallenstein Manege
- Arena of Stary Grad
It presents European art from antiquity to the Baroque era.
The palace began to be built by Count Vaclav Sternberg around 1697 according to the design of Domenico Martinelli. In 1811, the Society of Patriotic Friends of Art purchased the palace from Leopold Sternberg, after which the building underwent the reconstruction necessary to turn it into a museum.
The Society's collections were opened to the public in 1814.
In the period after 1946 and in 2002-2003, the building was also significantly reconstructed.
The exposition contains a collection of works of the XIV-XVI centuries from the castle, which belonged to Archduke Franz Fridinand, who was killed in Sarajevo in 1914: old Tuscan masters (Lorenzo Monaco and others), Venetian school, masterpieces of Florentine mannerism.
The whole floor is occupied by the works of Italian, Spanish, French, Dutch masters of the 16th-18th centuries: Paulo Veronese, Elgreco, Francisco Goya, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Rembrandt, Frans Hals.
The exposition of German and Austrian art of the 16th - 18th centuries includes Albrecht Dürer's masterpiece of the Feast of the Rosary gallery. The canvas was painted in Venice in 1506, and later acquired and transported to Prague by Emperor Rudolf II.
Monastery of St. Agnes of Bohemia
In the monastery of St. Agnes of Bohemia, samples of medieval art from Bohemia and Central Europe are exhibited: the work of the master Theodoric, the master of the Třeboň altar.
The exposition is located in the original interiors of the first monastery of the Order of Claritines in Bohemia, founded in 1231 by St. Agnieszka of Czech, daughter of King Přemysl Ottokar I.
Salmovský Palace or Small Schwarzenberg
A neoclassical task appeared on the site where several aristocratic mansions stood and belonged to the Prague Archbishop V. Florentan, prince of the ancient German family of Sal-Salma. The palace was named after him.
Construction continued from 1800 to 1811, after which the palace was bought by Joseph Schwarzenberg and attached to his home-palace.
After World War II, the building was taken over by the state. It gradually deteriorated until in 2004 it was given to the Prague national gallery. In 2011, the reconstruction of the building was completed.
Salmowski Palace and Schwarzenberg Palace today stand close to each other.
In the Salm Palace, works of art of the 19th century are represented by the most significant works of painting and sculpture from the era of classicism to romanticism.
Palace Schwarzenberg
Allotted for painting in the Baroque style of the XVII - XVIII centuries, as well as the work of the court mannerists of the era of the reign of Emperor Rudolf II (1575 - 1611): Hans von Aachen, Bartholomeus Spranger, Roelant Saverey and others.
Exhibition Palace (Fair Palace or Veletřini Palace)
- the largest of the museum's buildings, it exhibits masterpieces of world art from the 19th century to the present day.
