Wallenstein Garden and Palace, Prague

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Interior of the Palace is in Italian style. The furniture was brought from Italy and Holland. The most impressive were the walls richly decorated with frescoes and paintings as well asthe ceilings frescoes and arches.

Wallenstein Garden and Palace are situated on the Hradschin side of the river. Although not really hidden, it's a place that is not too crowded. Nevertheless, it's worth a visit. The garden is built in baroque style and comes up with some rather extraordinary stuff. First, there's an aviary with some birds of prey sitting lazily (and probably sadly, too) on some artificial-looking tree parts. Then, there's a massive wall of fake stalactites. It was built in some kind of fashion and represents the combination of artificiality and real nature. Although impressive, I found it rather ugly - but then again fashion changes every now and then, and maybe I'm just too narrowminded...
A third impressive part are the free range peacocks to be found on the grounds. People really go crazy as soon as they discover them inmidst the lawns and hedges.
Apart from all this, Wallenstein Garden is a good place to relax, too. Benches are placed everywhere on the grounds.

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The Wallenstein Palace is located in the Mala Strana neighborhood, just below the Prague Castle. The palace, which is a government building, is not open to the public. However, tourists are free to stroll through its attractive gardens. The highlights of the gardens include the sala terrana (a portico with a beautiful painted ceiling), the grotto wall, the fishpond and the statues.

Wallenstein garden is a good place to relax, enjoy the ambience, and to get to know the locals. Beautiful and well designed andscaping, sculptured hedges, many expertly crafted lifelike bronze statues and fountains, ponds with colorful fish, and great architecture abounds. There are even peacocks strutting their stuff for you. For a few korunas or some tasty bird seed they will pose for a nice colorful photograph.

This photo was shot on Easter Sunday, 2003. The spots in the photo are not spots on my camera lens, but are droplets of water spraying from the masterfully crafted central fountain. If Wallenstein Palace and gardens look familiar to you, it may have something to do with the numerous times that they have been used in movie settings throughout the years.

The Wallenstein complex is almost too easy to get to. Go up the escalator at Malostranska Metro station ( the station closest to Prague Castle ), exit to the left, and walk through the garden entrance. Could not be easier to find and to get to. Why not pay a visit while you are in the neighborhood. Leave the tour guides free to help other tourists.

This photo was made on Easter Sunday, 2003.
The weather was ideal on Easter Sunday, making it a perfect day for admiring all of the many masterfully scultured bronze statues in Wallenstein gardens, including this one of old Scratch ( Satan ) himself being beat senseless by a nude saint. The bronze figures are anotomically correct in every detail.

Wallenstein gardens and palace is so close to the Malostranska Metro ( subway / underground ) station that they appear to be connected. After departing the train, go up the escalator, exit the terminal to the left, turn right immediately, and you are standing at the entance of Wallenstein Gardens. Admission is free of charge. It is a perfect place for relaxing and meeting locals. Introduce yourself to them. They really are a friendly lot. The gardens and palace can be enjoyed on your way to or from Prague Castle with almost no added effort. Stop and enjoy them for whatever length of time you have available.

The home of General Albrecht von Wallenstein. He knocked down two dozen houses to make room for his expansive backyard; a Baroque style garden with a strictly geometrical design.

The loud cries that can be heard throughout the gardens come from the resident peacocks that can be seen strolling the grounds.

Valdstejnsky Palace was built between 1624-1630 for Albrecht von Wallenstein - generalisimo of the Habsburg`s army.
This place is famouse by the splendid gardens. Now in the palace there are the seat of Czech Senate.

Mr. Albrecht von Wallenstein was a triumphing man with his achievements in several war battles. Even though he was highly appreciated, it wasn't enough. He thought even more of himself and wanted to be as much a man of distinction as the rulers of the country. So he built himself a palace, surrounded by walls, with beautifully kept gardens and fountains. He let his workers build the Sala terrana with detailed fresco's in which you can see him as Mars, god of war, triumphing again.
In a corner of the garden you can gaze at a surrealistic wall of stalactites. In the gray mass, if you look carefully, you can discover images of snakes and frogs. A strange corner indeed, but I found it a very nice touch next to the luxurious looking palace.
Even a family of peacocks strolled by with there chicks when we walked through the garden?