Menhartovský palác, Baroque palace in Old Town, Czech Republic
Menhartovský Palace is a baroque building displaying two distinct architectural sections along Štupartská Street, each reflecting different construction phases of the eighteenth century. The structure combines elements from its medieval foundation with later baroque additions and modifications.
The palace was built around 1700 on the site of older houses, the earliest mentioned in 1402. After 1700 an early Baroque reconstruction was probably carried out by Vít Václav Kaňka with his son František Maxmilián. In 1752 the Piarists bought the palace for their college, led by historian Gelasius Dobner; in 1780 it passed to bourgeois ownership and housed a silk and wool manufactory.
The palace is also called U koz (At the Goats), a name documented in 1413 when the house was sold. In the courtyard stands a replica of the sculpture Thoughtlessness from Matyáš Bernard Braun's cycle of Virtues. The building now houses Divadlo v Celetné and the Arts Institute – Theatre Institute.
The building houses the Divadlo v Celetné theater company and the Institute of Art, which host regular cultural performances and exhibitions. Check ahead for opening hours as they vary based on scheduled events and programs.
A statue of Saint John Nepomuk from 1755 remains preserved in a facade niche between the floors, a remnant from when the Piarists owned the building. This religious figure was installed during their period of stewardship and reflects their spiritual influence on the structure.
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