PENSION DIENTZENHOFER

   Pension Dientzenhofer is native house of Kilian Ignac Dientzenhofer. Dientzenhofer is a surname of the famous builders and architects of the 17th and 18th century. Two of them-father Cristopher and son Kilian Ignac-became the eminent creators of the Prague baroque. Their edifices form the Prague and many other Czech cities´panorama and engage tourists´attention from all over the world.

   Cristoper Dientzenhofer (1655-1722) came from Bavaria to Prague approximately in 1678. By marrying the widow of master builder John George Aichbauer he acquired the right of domicile and became the noted Prague architect.

   The building of todays´ Pension was built in 1572. Cristopher Dientzenhofer lived in this house with his wife from 1685 and rebuilt and broadened it. In 1689 Christopher´son Kilian Ignac was born here (1689-1751). He changed the Prague panorama so impresively as perhaps only Michelangelo has changed the panorama of Rome.

   Father and son Dientzenhofer built not only monumental cathedrals, convents, monasteries and palaces but they also built many small buildings in Prague and in other places troughout the Czech lands. All of these works represent the peak not only of the Czech but also of the European baroque architecture. Many of these works of art are located in the vicinity to Pension Dientzenhofer. The most beautiful and famous buildings are the St. Nicola´s Cathedral and St. Tomas Church in Malá Strana, St. Nicola´s Cathedral in Staré Město, St. John of Nepomuk Churches in Hradčany and in Nové Město, the front of Loreta in Hradčany and the Church of St. Margaret in the complex of the Benedictins´ Monastery in Břevnov.

   Famous dwelling houses are the Palace of Sylva-Taroucca in Na Příkopech, Lužický Seminář in Malá Strana and houses U zlatého jelena (At the golden deer) and U dvou hrdliček (At the two turtledoves) which is directly opposite the Pension Dientzenhofer.