Palác Pachtů z Rájova, Rococo palace in Old Town, Prague 1, Czech Republic

The Palác Pachtů z Rájova is a rococo palace on Anenské náměstí, formed in 1770 when Hubert Karel Pachta joined five medieval houses into one four-winged, single-storey building around a courtyard. Its architect Jan Josef Wirch gave more ornament to the courtyard than to the plain outer facade: a columned portico, a balcony entrance and sculpture by Ignác Platzer.

Five medieval houses on the site were bought up after 1647 by Daniel Norbert Pachta of Rájov, and in 1770 Hubert Karel Pachta joined them into one palace. The four-winged, single-storey rococo building with a courtyard was designed by Jan Josef Wirch. In the early 20th century it was to be demolished for its poor condition, but the Club for Old Prague helped save it.

The palace is linked to Count Jan Josef Pachta, a music patron with his own orchestra, who hosted Josef Mysliveček and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with his wife Constance. Mozart, symbolically locked in a room by the count, wrote his six German Dances (KV 509) there. The lower floor of the adjoining New Pachta Palace once housed the Slavic Café, a meeting place for Czech patriots.

The palace stands in the Old Town on a square that is easily walkable and has several public transport connections nearby. From here, visitors can easily walk to other historical attractions in the surrounding area.

The palace's architect, Jan Josef Wirch, gave more attention to the courtyard than to the street facade: it has a columned portico, a balcony entrance and sculptural work by Ignác Platzer. In the west wall of the courtyard is a small fountain with a lion mascaron, and a monumental two-armed staircase follows the passage under the balcony.