Czernin Palace Palace

Address: Loretánské nám. 5, 118 00 Malá Strana, Prague, Czech Republic

Czernin Palace is a 17th-century Baroque city palace in Prague built for the noble Czernin family. It is notable for its large Baroque facade and scale among the palaces on the Hradčany plateau.

The palace’s main rooms and ceremonial spaces reflect Baroque planning and ornamentation from its period of construction, and the building was later adapted for state use. Today it serves as the seat of the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so interior access is restricted while the exterior and courtyard remain visible to visitors.

The palace was commissioned by members of the Czernin family and built in the 1600s; over subsequent centuries it passed through various owners and uses before becoming a government building. Architectural work and decorative schemes date from its original Baroque phase and later refurbishments.

• Current use: Many of the palace’s principal halls now house the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the building is a working government office.
• Public access: Located adjacent to the Loreta complex on the Hradčany hill, public access is limited because of its official function, though the exterior and courtyard are visible from nearby streets.

Černín Palace sits in Malá Strana near Loretto and is a short walk from Malostranská metro station (Line A). From Prague Castle it is a 10-15 minute downhill walk; from Charles Bridge, cross into Malá Strana and follow signs toward Loretánské náměstí.

• Passersby can photograph the palace façade from Loretánské náměstí; interior access is limited, as the building is government offices.
• Notice the coat of arms and sculpted stonework above the entrance-small details that reveal an 18th-century sense of civic pageantry.
• Combine a visit with nearby Malostranské náměstí and Wallenstein Garden for a fuller Baroque Prague itinerary.