Reconstruction of the former Institute of Noble Ladies

The expansive building of the former Rožmberk Palace and the Institute of Noblewomen has undergone a complex architectural evolution from the Romanesque period to the present day. The visible history of the house began in the Renaissance with the construction of the Rožmberk Palace and the adjacent Švamberský house. In the mid-18th century, at the request of Empress Maria Theresa, architect Nicollo Paccassi merged both buildings into a new structure that was extended to additional parcels near the Church of All Saints. The newly established Institute of Noblewomen thus became a striking building in the panorama of Hradčany with its monumental façade. In 1918, the Institute of Noblewomen was dissolved, and for a long time, the Ministry of the Interior occupied the building.

The current appearance of the building can be characterized as a complex corridor double wing, developed around three courtyards. The reconstruction of the building, making part of the palace accessible to the public, is taking place in stages.
The Renaissance vaulted Rožmberk Hall has been statically prepared and will serve, along with the adjacent small halls, for various cultural and exhibition events. The restored chapel of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary will serve the same purpose, where a complete restoration of the entire space covering all three floors has taken place. The fresco painting decoration of the walls and ceiling has been restored, window fillings and doors have been restored, and a pair of arches has been rebuilt.
Modern restoration workshops and storage spaces have been built for the collection of castle textiles and paintings.
Most of the rooms on the ground floor and the first floor serve as offices for the Administration of Prague Castle and the Castle Police. In some ground floor rooms, fragments of period painting have been found, which have been restored and supplemented.
The basement spaces mostly serve as workplaces and storage for the Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Archive of the Office of the President of the Republic.
After the removal of the sloped roof adjacent to the Church of All Saints, a viewing terrace was created.
The palace courtyards have been modified, one park-like, while the other has a kennel for the service dogs of the Castle Police; the Rožmberk courtyard with the adjacent café will be accessible to the public.