If you walk to Prague Castle from the Hradčanská metro station, you will pass by the Royal Gardens (Kralovská zagrada), which are free to stroll through from 10am to 6pm. The main jewel of the Kralovska zagrada is the Queen Anne Summer Palace, or Belvedere. This small building, built in the Italian Renaissance style, with a roof of green tiles resembles a jewellery box. According to art historians, it is the most beautiful Renaissance palace in Bohemia.
Belvedere was commissioned by Ferdinand I of Habsburg, who wanted to please his favourite wife, Queen Anne. Construction began in 1538 and lasted until 1565. The queen died of childbirth much earlier than the palace was completed. The inconsolable widower ordered that special attention be paid to the decoration of the palace, commemorating his wife with a bas-relief in which the king can be seen presenting a flower to his wife.
Queen Anne's Summer Palace is also associated with the name of the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe. This celebrated scientist conducted his research there. Emperor Rudolf II used the Belvedere to store his collection of paintings. The shelter for such precious art objects was not secure and was later looted. Some of the missing paintings from Rudolf II's collection are now on display in the Louvre.
Nowadays, various art exhibitions are held in the Belvedere building. Sometimes the President of the Czech Republic receives here dignitaries.
