Belvedere (Queen Anne's Summer Palace)

The Queen Anne Summer Palace is one of the buildings in the Royal Garden near Prague Castle. Made in the style of the Italian Renaissance, the palace is one of the best architectural monuments of Prague. This is one of the first examples of renaissance in the Czech Republic.

The construction of the palace began in 1538. King Ferdinand I intended to present it as a gift to his beloved wife, Queen Anne. However, the work was delayed, and the couple did not see the palace ready: Queen Anne died, and the king left Prague after a fire in 1541. Complete construction was not completed until 1565. Interestingly, at that time such a building, square in plan and having galleries on all sides, was innovative even in Italy.

The architects richly decorated the palace. Here you can see the curb, decorated with ornaments and figures 80 centimeters high, as well as 36 columns of external galleries, including a decorated Tuscan capital. The walls feature 114 reliefs depicting mythological scenes, hunting and war. On one of the reliefs you can see the figure of King Ferdinand, who hands a flower to his wife, beloved Anna.

The palace was especially popular during the reign of Rudolf II. The king placed his collection of paintings and converted the first floor into an observatory. It was observed by such famous astronomers as Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler.

Today, right in front of the palace is a pretty square, the central element of which is the Singing Fountain. The drops of water falling on his bowl make a special, melodic sound. This is why the fountain got its name. However, to hear his singing, you need to bring the ear as close to the bowl as possible.