Carlo Fontana and Bohemia Architect´s Vision and Builder´s Reality Around 1700

Pavel Kaalina CTU Prague

Conference Carlo Fontana 1638 1714 Celebrato Arrchitetto Roma, 23rd Octtober 2014 Liec htens tei n Pa lace, Ru do ltice near Lanškroun/Landskron (1696, not realized)

Sternberg Palace, Prague (not realized)

Martinitz Palace, Prague (by 1700, realized with alterations)

designed for Karel Ignaz of Sternberg (died 6. 3. 1700) or Jan Josef of Sternberg who drowned in the Inn river 13. 6. 1700 (on return from Rome, accompanied by Domenico Martinelli) the existing Sternberg Palace in Hrad any designed by Domenico Martinelli for Václav Adalbert of Sternberg ca. 1697, realized by Giov. Bat. Alliprandi 1700 08 anonymous site plan

WHO WAS GEORG (JI Í) ADAM II OF MARTINITZ (1650 1714)? nitz house = a pier of Habsburg power in Bohemia = one of the four count families in Bohemia, who were the title Hoch und Wohlgeborene G. A. II = grandson of Jaroslav Bo ita of Martinitz (co governor of Bohemia, defenestrated in 1618) ephew of Bernard Ignaz of Martinitz, governor of Bohemia († 1685, 1st marriage with Veronika Polyxena Sternberg) 1671 imatriculated in Siena as a second born son unified family´s properties after the deathofhis uncle and after an unexpected de his brother (both 1685) double identity: landlord and diplomat first Italian mission: 1682 83 (on the eve of the Siege of Vienna) second Italian mission: 1695 1700: Imperial ambassador to Papal court 1697 2nd marriage with Maria Josepha of Sternberg third Italian mission: 1707: Imperial plenipotentiarius and vice king in Naples men, sharing a community of interests, came to form something like party, and lent a decisive new impu the exciting tr iangu llar relati tions hip be tween the Hab s burgs, Bo hem ia, and the Ho ly Roman Emp ire. (R. J. W. Evans, Austria, Hungary, and the Habsburgs: Central Europe c. 1683 1867)

A

rlo Fontana´s project for the Martinitz Palace in Prague was a completely alizable and functional design

s original proj ect was re worked by Domenico Martinelli in 1700 e structural changes of the original prooject were not dictated by economic mitations, as Martinelli´s changes could only enlarge the overall expenditure e main reason of design changes was the need of family representation Grazie!