The Louis Tract of the Old Royal Palace at the Prague Castle is easily recognizable – it protrudes a lot to the Garden on the Ramparts (Zahrada Na valech). It was built in the 16 th century, in the Early Renaissance style. There are interesting historical rooms inside, including the Bohemian Chancellery and the Hall of the Imperial Court Council.
Renaissance spaces of the Louis Tract
The Louis Tract is called after the King Louis Jagellion, during whose reign it was built. The architect B. Ried finished it in 1520. Especially the windows of the tract have Renaissance features. There is a valuable staircase inside.
The former Bohemian Chamber is situated in a room in the first floor. It was a bureaucratic office of the Emperor, disliked by the Czech estates, who had no influence on the office. The room next to the Bohemian Chamber was allegedly a prison of St. John of Nepomuk. There is a statue of him from the beginning of the 18 th century.
Bohemian Chancellery – where the Thirty Years´War started
The two rooms of the Bohemian Chancellery are situated in the second floor. The first room has the original Gothic tracery vault. There is a monogram of King Louis Jagellion on a Renaissance portal on the wall. The Bohemian Chancellery was a place, from which vice-regents ruled the country, when the sovereign wasn´t present. The Czech Protestant estates broke into the chancellery in 1618 and threw the vice-regents off the window – it was an actual start of the Thirty Years´ War.
The third floor of the Louis Tract at the Prague Castle contains the Hall of the Imperial Court Council. There are portraits of Habsburg monarchs, who ruled the country between the 13 th and the 18 th century. The furniture in the hall is from the 17 th century. The Imperial Court Council used to sit in this hall during reign of Emperor Rudolph II. The 27 leaders of the Czech Estates Rebellion heard their death sentences in this hall in 1621.
