Prague Castle: Spanish Hall

Conceived in the late 1500s by the architect Giovanni Gargioli and completed in 1602-8 by Giovanni Maria Filippi, the Spanish Hall (Španělský sál) is one of the most impressive of Prague Castle’s state rooms. Named after the Spanish thoroughbreds over whose stables it was built, the hall occupies the entire north wing of the second courtyard of the castle.

The Spanish Hall has a lengthy history of reconstruction. Following the six-week Prussian siege of Prague in 1757, it was repaired and repainted in 1783. The ornamental stucco-work shown here is the highlight of a still later refurbishment dating from 1868.