Archbishop Palace, Prague

Located at Castle Square near Prague Castle, this extravagant palace, painted in a vibrant vanilla hue, was acquired by Archbishop Anton Brus in the 1560s and has since served as the principal residence of Prague's archbishop and the archdiocese. Its Rococo façade offers a glimpse of the opulent interiors, adorned with intricate wood carvings, elaborate stuccowork, exquisite glassware, porcelain vases, and rare 18th-century Parisian tapestries gracing the ceremonial chambers.

Accessible to the public for a limited duration, the palace showcases the 16th-century Chapel of Saint John the Baptist. If you are fortunate enough to be in Prague on the day before Good Friday, don't miss a trip! Within the chapel, a remarkable painting of the Crucifixion captures attention, its creation shrouded in macabre circumstances. Commissioned by the Archbishop at the time, a young Italian artist undertook the task, employing a beggar as his model, whom he cruelly bound to a cross. Dissatisfied with the beggar's portrayal of suffering, the artist fatally stabbed him in the heart, using his anguished countenance as inspiration. Tormented by guilt, the artist took his own life after completing the commission.