Archbishop’s Palace

Since its construction up to the present day, the Archbishop’s Palace has been the seat of the Bishops of Olomouc and since 1777, of the Archbishops of Olomouc.

The original Renaissance palace was ordered by Bishop Stanislav I Thurzo in the early 1500s, and the work was continued by his successors. The building suffered heavy damage during the Thirty Years’ War and then a fire in 1661, and Bishop Karl II of Liechtenstein-Castelcorno had the palace rebuilt in the Baroque style and significantly expand during 1664–1669. The residence gained its present appearance after a fire in 1904.

The Archbishop’s Palace is a prominent example of Baroque palace architecture in Moravia. The two-storey building with a richly decorated neo-Baroque façade and three Baroque portals is organised around two enclosed courtyards. The interior features a number of rooms with rich artistic decoration from the 2nd half of the 17th century to the early 20th century.

The Archbishop’s Palace has witnessed a number of significant events over the course of its history, such as the stay of Empress Maria Theresa, the enthronement of Emperor Franz Joseph I, the signing of a peace treaty known as the “Punctation of Olmütz”, and a visit by Pope John Paul II.

At present, a tour of the palace’s spectacular representative halls is offered to visitors. The interiors boast rich Rococo, Empire, and neo-Baroque decorations and period furniture. And these very rooms are associated with the most important events that took place in the palace.