Diana's Temple, Neoclassical hunting lodge in Lednice-Valtice, Czech Republic.
Diana's Temple is a neoclassical hunting lodge built in the form of a Roman triumphal arch, modelled on the Arch of Titus. Its cream facade has a tall central archway flanked by Corinthian columns, with a frieze of sculpted figures and a low triangular pediment. The interior is arranged over four floors around a main hall.
Joseph Hardtmuth designed the building for Prince Johann I Josef von Liechtenstein; after Hardtmuth retired, Joseph Kornhäusel completed it by 1812 and furnished it in 1813. The 3 m high, 5 km long wall around the game preserve was removed in 1872/73.
The building displays Latin inscriptions honoring Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting, and shows how hunting was central to aristocratic life in this region. These inscriptions reveal the importance of the hunt as a social and recreational pursuit for the ruling families.
The building sits on a hill in the former Theimwald game preserve, 3 km northeast of Valtice, with a pond on its south side and the Valtice–Břeclav road beyond it. An unmarked path leads from the parking area on road I/40 between Valtice and Poštorná; the red hiking trail from Valtice, about 4 km from the square, continues toward St Hubert's Chapel. Three cycle routes reach it: 5045 from Belveder, EV9, and the Knížecí route.
The flat roof served as a terrace, and the interior is reached by a spiral staircase. The arch's inner face carries 81 coffers with recessed frames and a rosette at the centre. The building was designed as a backdrop for the prince's hunting breakfasts.
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