Morzin Palace, Baroque palace in Malá Strana, Prague, Czech Republic.
Morzin Palace sits on Nerudova Street as a two-story structure built in Baroque style. The entrance features two columns carved as Moorish figures, which form the distinctive visual element of the facade.
Architect Jan Santini Aichel built the structure between 1713 and 1714 for the Morzin family. The family retained ownership until 1881, after which the building changed hands and purposes.
The Morzin family's coat of arms, a crowned Moor with a gold necklace on a silver field, gave the palace its nickname House at the Moors. A plaque on the left of the facade honours the Romanian prince Michael the Brave (1558–1601). Since 1925 the building has housed the Romanian embassy.
The building is viewable from the street during a walk through the neighborhood. Best views of the sculptural details come from standing directly on Nerudova Street where light reaches the columns clearly.
The two Moorish figures supporting the entrance are not random decoration but a wordplay on the Morzin family name. In Czech, the word for Moor sounds similar to Morzin, making these sculptures a personal signature of the owners.
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