Velikovský dům House

Velikovský dům, also known as Sternberg or Spa, is a historic palace on the corner of Malostranská Square and Tomáš Street in Prague. The building is important with layered architecture with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. It is part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

Originally there was a Gothic townhouse in the 14th century. At the time of its creation, political stability and cultural flourishment existed in the Czech Kingdom under the rule of the Jagellonian dynasty. Later, in the late 16th century, religious tension between Catholics and Protestants emerged during the Renaissance reconstruction.

The architecture of the palace has undergone several stages of development. After the small party fire in 1541, the house was restored in a late Gothic style. From this time, cellars are still preserved. Subsequently, the building was rebuilt into a Renaissance form and extended to an archway. A Baroque reconstruction took place in the 17th century. The facade is decorated with sgraffiti, the work of sculptor Celestine Klouček from 1899. In the interior, the painted cover ceilings from the Renaissance and early Baroque period were restored at the last reconstruction.

The fate of the building was influenced mainly by historical events, such as a fire in 1541, which led to a restoration in late Gothic style. The last major reconstruction took place in 1995. The House of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic acquired the house and was incorporated into the complex of its buildings.

The key details of the palace include elements on its facade. During reconstruction, fragments of sgraffiti from the end of the 16th century were found under the plaster, which were subsequently restored. The southern and eastern facade contains parts of painted sun clock from 1608. They show not only the true time of the sun, but also the ancient Czech time, determined by the number of hours that have passed since sunset.

Today, the palace is part of the Prague City Monument Reserve - the historical centre. It was entered in the UNESCO World Heritage List under number 616 in 1992. The building serves as part of the Chamber of Deputies complex.

The historical layering of the palace offers a rare view of the development of Prague architecture from medieval to modern times. He is an important witness to the history of the Little Party, which is behind a careful inspection.