Independent settlements surrounding little churches existed in the area of the present Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana) as early as in the ninth century. It was raised to a town by King Přemysl Otakar II in 1257. During the reign of Charles IV, the town was surrounded by medieval Gothic walls. The Lesser Quarter received its characteristic Baroque shape in the 16th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries the ordinary burgher development was supplemented by large aristocratic palaces.

Wallenstein

Palace (Valdštějnský palác) 
It is a large early Baroque complex built for Albrecht of Wallenstein on the design of A. Spezza and N. Sebregondi in 1621–26. The main three-storyed building has a self-contained disposition with two courtyards parallel to the façade. Adjoined to it are the stables, riding school and garden. The palace has splendid interior decoration. It housed the Ministry of Culture until 1996. On February 21, 1996, the Chamber of Deputies passed an act that made it, along with the

Kolowrat Palace and the so-called

Small Fürstenberg Palace, the seat of Parliament’s upper chamber, the Senate. It has been the official seat of the Senate since March 1, 1996.

The

Ledeburg Garden  (Ledeburská zahrada)
The garden is a Baroque work of the first third of the 18th century. There is a Salla Terrena by an unknown author, mythological scenes depicting the ruins of

Pompeii.

The Small and

Big Palffy Gardens (Malá a Velká Pálffyovská zahrada)
The garden was laid out in the first half of the 18th century. An interesting feature is the sun dial of 1751.

Kolowrat

Garden (Kolovratská zahrada)
The most stunning and architecturally richest garden with a lookout garden house, remodeled after 1784.

Furstenberg

Garden (Furstenberská zahrada)
The lower part of the garden was conceived in the English style. The garden now belongs to the Polish Embassy.

St. Nicholas Church (Chrám sv. Mikuláše)
St. Nicholas Church is the major Baroque sacral building in

Prague. The construction passed in several phases between 1674 and 1755, led by two prominent architects, Christoph Dietzenhofer and his son Kilian Ignaz Dietzenhofer. The church interior is a gallery of works of art. The statuary was created by Ignaz Franz Platzer, the paintings on the gallery by Karel Škréta, Ignaz Raab and others.

Former

Town Hall of the Lesser Quarter
Late Renaissance structure, remodeled to it present look in 1820. Cultural club.

Smiřický

Palace  (Palác Smiřických)
Originally a Renaissance palace of 1603-13. Rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 18th century. Today it houses the Parliament of

the Czech Republic.

Liechtenstein

Palace (Lichtenštejnský palác)
The present shape is the result of a Neo-Classical reconstruction at the end of the 18th century. Seat of the Music Faculty of AMU.

Seat of the Chamber of Deputies of Parliament of the Czech Republic
Consists of 13 buildings:  Edifices at 176 Sněmovní street, 9 and 10 Thunovská street, 8, 11-16 and 518 Tomášská street, and 6 (Smiřický House) and 7 (Sternberg House) Malostranské Square. The former

Thun Palace was built at the turn of the 18th century. Its present shape comes from the beginning of the 19th century.  

St Thomas‘ Church with the Augustinian Monastery  (Kostel sv. Tomáše)
The church with the adjoined Augustinian monastery was founded by Václav II in 1285. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1727–31. Its interior decoration and furnishings are of outstanding value. Today’s well-known tavern was once a brewery belonging to the monastery.

Church of Our Lady of the Chain (Kostel P. Marie pod řetězem)
Originally a Romanesque shrine of 1169-82. Its present appearance is the result of the 1640-60 Baroque reconstruction (Architect C. Lurago)

Grand Prior’s Palace (Velkopřevorský palác)
Present Baroque appearance from 1725-27. Portals and staircase decoration made by M. B. Braun’s workshop.

Grand Prior’s Mill (Velkopřevorský mlýn)
Situated near the little bridge leading to Kampa Island;

Charles Bridge provides an especially lovely view of it. The operation of the mill was terminated in 1936 but the wheel runs on.

Nostitz

Palace (Nostický palác)
Nostitz Palace was built in 1658-60. Remodeled in the Baroque style, and later - in the 18th century – in the Rococo style.

Church of

Our Lady Victorious (Kostel Panny Marie vítězné)
Only four years after the battle, a small Baroque chapel was erected on the

White Mountain (Bílá hora). It became the destination of a votive procession on the

battle anniversary in 1624. Emperor Ferdinand II wished to embellish the place that commemorated his own victory with a grander tabernacle and thus, in 1628, with crowds of people watching, he ostentatiously laid the foundation stone of the

Church of

Our Lady Victorious just several hundred steps from the little chapel.  
However, the church was never built and only the tiny chapel was left alone there to be plundered by Swedish troops in 1648. It was left to ruin until 1704, when it was repaired by Michael Hagen, a Bavarian mason, and consecrated to St. Wenceslas. Two years later, the chapel, known by then as of Our Lady Victorious, was added an octagonal domed central part, and another two years later - in 1708 – a copy was brought from Rome of the painting of Our Lady with the original of which, allegedly disgraced by Protestant troops, Pater Dominik would circulate the Catholic arrays before the Battle of the White Mountain and demanded revenge for its disgrace.

The first third of the 18th century witnessed great building activity. The additions of an organ loft and two chapels changed the ground plan of the church into a cross. The interior was decorated with mural paintings depicting scenes from the

battle by Václav Vavřinec Reiner and Johann Adam Schöpf, and with the motif of the Celebration of the Church by Czech Patrons in the dome by the Bavarian painter Kosmas Damian Asam. Thus a typical Baroque pilgrimage site was created, the development of which was, however, soon interrupted. When abolishing churches and monasteries, Emperor Joseph II did not omit this one, and closed it down in 1785. Along with the adjacent buildings, it was sold in auction to Josef Ulrych, a brewer of Motol, who further sold the dilapidated building to Josef Čapek, the Canon of St. Vitus Cathedral, in 1811. The latter repaired the church at his own expense and restored it to its original purpose. After his death in 1828, the church became the possession of the Břevnov Monastery Benedictines. Yet another discontinuance came in April 1950, when monasteries were dissolved for the second time, now by the communist government.  The church was restored after 1989, being re-adopted by the Břevnov Monastery that has kept it since.

Vrtbov

Garden (Vrtbovská zahrada)
The best-known Baroque garden replaced a former vineyard of 1720. It contains rich statuary by M. B. Braun. The lookout terrace provides a lovely view of

Prague Castle and the Lesser Quarter.

Michna

Palace (Michnův palác)
Originally a 1580 Renaissance palace. Rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1640-50. Acquired by Prague Sokol association in 1918. Today it houses the

Museum of

Physical Training and Sport.

Tags: Church of Our Lady of the Chain, Furstenberg Garden, Grand Prior’s Mill, Grand Prior’s Palace, Kolowrat Garden, Liechtenstein Palace, Michna Palace, Nostitz Palace, Prague, Smiřický Palace, St Thomas' Church with the Augustinian Monastery, St. Nicholas Church, The Ledeburg Garden, The Lesser Quarter, The Small and Big Palffy Gardens, Vrtbov Garden, Wallenstein Palace