Prague - City of Galleries Tour

City of Art

It is a walking or driven four hour tour. This tour is usually chosen by more sophisticated tourists interested in art. The guide will take you to the best art museums of Prague where you can see both - the oldest art as well as the contemporary art. It can be also combined with the art shopping tour.

Tickets to attractions are not included in the tour price.
4 HOUR TOUR
GUIDE and VEHICLE
or GUIDE ONLY

"At the turn of Rudolph II´s famous collection was the talk of all of Europe, but strangely enough, few were lucky to see it. It was kept at the Prague Castle, and was shown rarely by the monarch, sometimes he gave tours to those of whom he was especially fond, or in matters of diplomacy.
In general, Rudolph was a jealous owner, and access was limited, he fretted over many of the collection´s individual pieces. While Rudolph could visit from the comfort of his personal chambers any time he liked, only servants in charge of caring for the collection´s pieces were otherwise admitted, and they had an entance of their own.
The value of Rudolph´s collection was staggering, not only in temrs of its artistic and financial quality, but because of its oveall structure. The collection brought together many rare works of art and technology, valuable both for their sheer richness of materials, and valued for the genius of the artisans´skills.
To the detriment of Prague the collection was broken-up soon after Rudolph´s death in 1612, suffering the greatest damage during the Thirty Years War. The Swedes grabbed the greatest spoils, and today many of the collection´s pieces are scattered across Europe in museums in Germany, Holland and Austria..."

"A large part of Rudolph´s collection was made up of works by European masters, much of which was on display in the Spanish Hall of the Prague Castle. Titian, Leonardo da Vinci and Hieronymus Bosch, who was represented in full force with twenty paintings, and others like Pieter Breughel and his sons, rafael, Veronese, Corregio, Tintoretto, Lucas Cranach, Holbein, van Aachen, and Caravaggio were just a few of many renowned painters whose work enriched the overall collection. One of the most famous paintings to survive the sacking of Prague, which remains in the capital to this day, is the ROSARY CELEBRATION, a "window" to the Rudolphine era by Nuremburg painter Albrecht Durer. the paintings has a wonderful story that goes with it:
Durer was commissioned to create the painting as altar piece for the Church of St. Bartolomew during Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice. Rudolph became so enamoured with it he paid an enotmous sum for the original. Meanwhile, he commissioned an exact copy for the Iatlian church in order to make-up for their loss. In order to transport his new acquisition safely to Prague, Rudolph had it wrapped in cotton wool, rugs, and waxed linen, and in order to avoid abrasions during transport, teh painting was hung from a pole. It was bravely carried this way by men of great stamina, across the Alps,across Austria and finally Bohemia, to Rudolph II´s doorstep in Prague.

text - Jiri Kuchar - "Praha esotericka"




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