Rumpálův dům, Renaissance house at Velké náměstí, Prachatice, Czech Republic
Rumpálův dům is a Renaissance house on the east side of the main square in Prachatice, Czech Republic, with three arcades running along its ground floor. The facade is covered with figural ornaments and Renaissance-era paintings, with some classicist additions visible alongside the older decoration.
The house was built in 1539 with permission from Peter V. of Rosenberg on what was then the town marketplace. In the 17th century the building was used as a public brewery before returning to its role as a residence.
The house takes its name from the Rumpal family, who made their fortune in the salt trade and used the building to show their standing in town. Visitors today can still read that ambition in the painted facade and the arcade facing the square.
The house stands on the east side of the main square in Prachatice and is easy to see from across the open space. The ground floor arcades can be observed directly from the square without entering the building.
The painted decorations visible on the facade today were hidden under layers of later coatings for centuries before being uncovered during restoration work. That process revealed details of the original Renaissance scheme that had long been out of sight.
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