Sternberg Palace, Baroque palace at Hradčanské Square, Prague, Czech Republic
Sternberg Palace is a Baroque building at Hradcany Square composed of four wings arranged around a central courtyard. The structure features a curved front section that projects outward into the western garden area.
Construction began in 1698 when a nobleman commissioned the palace to replace earlier Gothic and Renaissance buildings on the site. The project took about a decade to complete and emerged during a prosperous period for architectural development in the region.
A bronze lion statue dominates the courtyard, locked in struggle with a snake beneath it. This powerful sculpture immediately catches visitors' eyes and serves as a striking focal point within the palace grounds.
The palace is open to visitors most days of the week and can be explored at a leisurely pace in about an hour or two. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since you will move between different rooms and across courtyard areas.
The bronze lion sculpture in the courtyard was created in 1947 by a French artist, more than two centuries after the palace itself was built. Many visitors assume this dramatic statue was part of the original design, unaware of when it actually arrived on site.
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