Mix and match colors
How Did the Italian Quarter Come Into Being?
Holy Roman Emperor
An Art Lover
The Renaissance Comes to Prague (Finally)
As the 16th century turned into the 17th, the style in Prague changed, too - into the Baroque, especially after the Thirty Years’ War. And the Italian Quarter is no exception. Much of what you will find there now is in the Baroque style.
The location they chose might have had to do with its proximity to Rudolf (up at the Castle above it) and to the Mala Strana which needed lots of reconstruction and rebuilding after the fire. In any case, apparently Italian surnames could be found on doorbells here until the time of the Velvet Revolution. And below you'll see the name "Santini," a master architect who was born in the quarter, the son of an Italian builder. The plaque notes where Jan Santini was buried - near the former church of St. John the Baptist, the footprint of which, in a typical Santini star pattern, is marked in the cobblestones of the sidewalk.
Something a Little Different
Get Off the Beaten Path
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Happy travels! |