If you are passionate about classical art, this collection of paintings with a somewhat difficult fate is a must-see of Prague Castle. It is housed in the northern wing of the New Royal Palace, the space formerly occupied by beautiful Renaissance stables - where Emperor Rudolf II kept his favourite Spanish horses.
Influenced by his highly cultured relatives, like grandfather Ferdinand I and father Maximilian II, Rudolf II became an avid collector of art. He commissioned purchasing valuable artwork all over Europe to professional dealers and placed numerous orders to his royal painters. As the collection expanded more and more, it was decided to arrange a special space that would display all these precious exhibits. The project was completed by an Italian architect Giovanni Gargioli.
Today, this hall with warm-coloured walls, vaulted ceilings and benches where you can quietly contemplate the surrounding beauty, still has a unique and peaceful atmosphere. However, the collection itself suffered a significant damage because of turbulent historical events. After Rudolf’s death, his heir Emperor Matthias moved a large portion of these paintings to Vienna, and during the 30 years war it was turned into a war trophy – seized partly by Maximilian of Bavaria and partly by the Swedish soldiers of Queen Christina.
In the subsequent years, a lot of effort was put into restoring Prague collection, and in 1965 this exhibition space finally opened to visitors again. Nowadays it displays around 100 valuable items out of the total 4,000 owned by the Gallery. These are paintings by the 16th-18th century artists, including such geniuses as Peter Paul Rubens, Titian – who reportedly was Rudolf’s favourite master, and Italian mannerist Girolamo Bedoli.
The collection is divided into thematic sections, including mythology, biblical scenes, landscapes, etc. Besides, here you can see the remnants of the first church in Prague Castle dedicated to Virgin Mary – the ruins which date back to the 9th century.
