The Cernin Palace at the Loreta Square near the Prague Castle has a beautiful garden, originally in Baroque manner. The Cernin Garden is an architecturally rich terrace garden with two pools and a summer house. It was designed by several important architects since the 17 th century.
The Cernin Garden was built simultaneously with the Cernin Palace for Count Humprecht Jan Cernin of Chudenice. The author of the project was architect Francesco Caratti, who also built the palace. It was modified by Domenico Rossi, who made the cascades there. Also F. M. Kanka and Anselmo Lurago participated on building the garden.
Terraces and pools in the garden
The two-level Cernin Garden is situated by the beautiful northern frontage of the Cernin Palace. There is a sala terrena and a Hercules statue from 1746 by I. E. Platzer. The opposite end of the garden is closed by a summer house projected by Anselmo Lurago between 1744 and 1746.
Four garden terraces are decorated with two pools. The bigger pool is situated at the higher level, close to the palace. The second cascade pool passes from the higher level to the lower part.
Damage during the wars
The Cernin Garden was seriously damaged during the war between 1741 and 1742 and later when Prague was besieged by Prussian army in 1757. It was restored as an English park in the 19 th century, but another decline came in 1851: the Cernin Palace became a barracks and the decorative garden was covered with mould. The final renewal of the garden was realized in 1929.
Cernin Garden at the present time
The Cernin Garden is used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has a seat in the palace at the present time. There is a former frontier stone placed in the garden since 1990. It used to be at the Czech-Bavarian border and it was given to the ministry as a symbol of opening the borders after the fall of Communist regime.
The Cernin Garden is open to the public only occasionally.
