Early Baroque
The clear Baroque style came to the Czech lands during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) when it finally replaced the Renaissance style. The Baroque style, coming from Catholic Italy, was strongly supported by the rich Catholic aristocracy and the Catholic church, which became the only legal church after 1627.
The architects of early Baroque in the Czech lands were foreigners, mostly Italians.
The first Baroque palace in Prague and probably also the first in Central Europe was built in 1621-1630 for a Czech nobleman, general of the imperial army in the Thirty Years' War, Albrecht von Wallenstein. Wallenstein Palace (Czech: Valdštejnský palác) was designed and built by Italian architects Giovanni Pieroni and Andrea Spezza and was inspired by the newest Italian architecture of its time but the influence of Mannerism can be also seen.
The Church of Our Lady Victorious in the Lesser Town of Prague is considered to be the first Baroque church in Prague. It was built probably by Giovanni Maria Filippi in 1611-13 for Lutherans in the late Renaissance style. In the 1620s the church became Catholic and was rebuilt in the early Baroque style. The new Baroque facade was completed in 1644.
Very important architect of the early Baroque style in Prague was Carlo Lurago who came from Italy and worked for the Jesuits. He started to rebuild the Clementinum in the Old Town of Prague. There, he also rebuilt the older Renaissance Church of the Holy Savior. For Jesuits he built St. Ignatius Church on the Charles Square in the New Town and, e.g., the Church in Březnice. He built the Humprecht Chateau in 1666-1668 with an interesting elliptical ground floor. Another Italian architect who settled in the Czech lands was Francesco Carrati, who designed the Černín Palace in Prague.
In early Baroque style was renovated the residence of the archbishops of Olomouc in Kroměříž by Italian-Swiss architect Filiberto Lucchese and then by Italian Giovanni Pietro Tencalla. The Kroměříž Archbishop's Palace was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Jean Baptiste Mathey was an important French architect who worked in the Czech lands. His works include the Church of St. Francis Seraph in the Old Town of Prague and Troja Palace, built near Prague for count of Sternberg. He also rebuilt the Archbishp's Palace in Prague. His works prefigure the High Baroque style in the Czech lands.
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The front facade of the Church of the Holy Savior by Carlo Lurago, 1650s-1660s.
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The front facade of Clementinum by Carlo Lurago, 1650s-1660s.
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The Humprecht Chateau by Carlo Lurago, 1666-1668.
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Kroměříž Archbishop's Palace by Filiberto Lucchese, 1660s.
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Černín Palace by Francesco Caratti, 1660s-1680s.
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Troja Palace by Jean Baptiste Mathey, 1679-1685.
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Church of St. Francis Seraph in the Old Town of Prague by Jean Baptiste Mathey, 1679-1688.
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Church of St. Margaret in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou, late 17th century.
Read more about this topic: Baroque Architecture In The Czech Republic
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