The intersection of Charles and Hus Streets is reached by the southern part of the facade of the Clam-Gallas Palace, one of the most important Baroque palace buildings in Prague. It is a magnificent example of a monumental aristocratic residence situated in a small medieval-type urban development. The palace was built in the High Baroque style on the site of an older building in 1714-18 according to a design by J. B. Fischer of Erlach for Jan Václav Count Gallas. Among others, M. B. Braun and his workshop contributed to the decoration of the building (portals with atlants, statues of ancient gods in the roof part, cherubs inside and vases on the staircase), the painter C. Carlone, stonemason D. A. Rappa and the plasterers R. Bolla, S. Bussi and G. Fiumberti.
In one of the three courtyards there is a fountain with a statue of Triton by M. B. Braun, protected by a Baroque grille. Both the Gallas and the Clam-Gallas family, the owners of the Palace, were lovers and patrons of the arts; their Palace was thus a famous cultural centre in Prague, where concerts were held – W. A. Mozart (1787) and L. van Beethoven (1796) performed here, theatre was performed here and exhibitions of paintings were held.
In a niche of the Palace’s enclosure wall on Mariánské Square there is a fountain with an allegorical sculpture of the Vltava River by V. Prachner. The northern wing of the palace was raised by one storey to accommodate the anticipated construction of a theatre hall. However, this certainly interesting plan was eventually abandoned and the resulting under-roof space was then used as a hayloft.
Husova 158, Prague 4
