Troja Palace, Baroque palace in Troja district, Czech Republic.
Troja Palace is a Baroque building of connected wings with white walls framed by orange pilasters and cornices, two main stories under a red tiled roof with dormer windows and chimneys. A stone staircase with sculpted figures and a balustrade rises centrally to an upper terrace. A low trimmed green hedge and gravel path lie in front.
Count Václav Vojtech of Šternberk commissioned construction in 1679 under architects Jean Baptiste Mathey and Giovanni Domenico Orsi. The building rose as a country estate reflecting the wealth and artistic vision of its patron.
The main hall's ceiling and wall frescoes were painted by Antwerp brothers Abraham and Izaak Godijn between 1688 and 1692. The ceiling shows celestial beings protecting Habsburg lands, while the walls depict earthly scenes, including Leopold I's victory over the Turks, with one Turk painted falling in trompe-l'œil.
The palace stands next to Prague Zoo on the right bank of the Vltava, and a joint Troja Card covers the palace, zoo and botanical garden. Seasonal exhibitions run from April to October. The lower garden was flooded in 2002 and again in 2013, so paths there can be uneven.
The garden staircase displays sculptures by Johann Georg and Paul Heermann depicting a mythological battle between gods and Titans. These sculptural works show Jupiter and Minerva observing the conflict, adding a narrative layer to the outdoor setting.
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